Paying your tax bill doesn’t typically rank as an exciting moment in business. However, for an increasing number of New Zealand business owners, it has quietly become a strategic opportunity to unlock travel perks, boost cash flow, and make every dollar work harder, thanks to a platform called RewardPay.
“RewardPay is one of the smartest financial tools available to business owners who use American Express,” said Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub Founder and Head of Research.
“It lets you pay the IRD, ACC, suppliers, and landlords with an Amex card, even when those recipients don’t accept credit cards directly.”
RewardPay acts as an intermediary, processing the Amex payment and then forwarding the funds as a standard bank transfer. From the recipient’s perspective, it looks like any other deposit. However, for the payer, those transactions generate valuable Membership Rewards or Airpoints Dollars while also unlocking up to 55 days of interest-free cash flow.
“The service fee for IRD and ACC is 1.67 percent, but it’s tax-deductible,” said Walsh.
“So for many PAYE taxpayers in the 39 percent bracket, the after-tax cost is just over one percent. That’s incredibly efficient if you’re already making those payments.”
The service recently became even more appealing with the addition of Air New Zealand Airpoints. Business owners can now choose to earn either 1 Airpoints Dollar per $100 spend at a fee of 1.15 percent, or 1 per $200 at 0.6 percent.
“That flexibility makes it even more attractive,” said Walsh.
“Especially for cash flow management and for businesses that want to tailor their rewards programme based on what they value most.”
Walsh sees RewardPay as part of a broader shift in how businesses approach everyday expenses.
“The reality is that reward offerings in New Zealand are pretty poor,” said Walsh.
“RewardPay has introduced something from Australia that’s actually very useful. I’m a big fan of it.”
He noted that the Amex card has become surprisingly versatile for everyday business costs.
“To date, the only major expense I haven’t been able to migrate to Amex is my Xero subscription. That’s frustrating because Xero accepts Amex everywhere else in the world, just not in New Zealand.”
Outside of that exception, Walsh finds Amex valuable for regular spending and uses RewardPay to cover IRD, ACC, and other business invoices.
“It’s especially good for companies with routine PAYE and GST obligations and suppliers that don’t take Amex directly. RewardPay lets you put everything through the card if you want to.”
He also pointed to the value of Amex transfer partners.
“These points can be moved to programmes like Marriott Bonvoy or Qatar Airways. Our research found that Qatar offers the best value redemptions from New Zealand. Availability is better than Qantas or Singapore Airlines, and the business class redemptions are more generous.”
While startups can use the platform, Walsh said RewardPay is likely better suited to more established businesses with consistent expenses.
“It’s traditionally the founder who holds the card and benefits from the points, and that’s often seen as a reasonable perk in New Zealand,” said Walsh.
“People regularly earn loyalty points on work-related expenses and submit the charges for reimbursement. RewardPay gives you more back for the same behaviour.”
Walsh added that the convenience fee charged by RewardPay is similar to what’s already applied by the IRD for Visa or Mastercard payments.
“You’re paying a similar fee, but with RewardPay, you get much more out of it. I’m happy to pay the fee and enjoy watching my reward points grow. It’s a product that’s clearly helping my business, and I’m looking forward to seeing RewardPay add more services in future.”
For businesses with reliable cash flow, strong financial systems, and an American Express card, RewardPay is more than a payment workaround. It’s a tool that transforms routine outgoings into real-world value – in the air, in hotels, or back in the business.
Join RewardPay and earn points on all your invoices
It costs nothing to sign up for RewardPay. Fees only apply when you set up a payment through our portal. Watch a video and see our pricing.
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