Zeta Global Japan Inc. (formerly Cheetah Digital Inc., headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President Emi Takimoto (Asaka), hereinafter "Zeta Global Japan"), a marketing technology company, has released the "Loyalty Program Trend Book 2026," which summarizes the latest trends and design philosophies of loyalty programs. This book further develops the domestic program analysis accumulated through the highly acclaimed "Loyalty Program Chaos Map" series. It organizes domestic loyalty programs that were revamped between 2025 and mid-June 2026, and examines what actions, beyond purchases, leading loyalty program companies are evaluating and utilizing to build ongoing customer relationships. ■ Background Loyalty programs are evolving from simple promotional measures that award points based on purchase amounts to mechanisms that foster long-term relationships with customers. In recent years, there has been an increase in programs that evaluate actions other than purchases, such as store visits, app usage, review submissions, event participation, community activities, and recycling. In 2022, Zeta Global Japan released the industry's first "Loyalty Program Chaos Map," categorizing the programs of 55 domestic companies into seven types. The 2025 edition organized programs from 53 newly selected domestic companies, revealing that loyalty programs are shifting from point-based systems to those emphasizing brand experience and customer touchpoints. The "Loyalty Program Trend Book 2026," released this time, goes a step further than simply organizing "what programs exist" to focus on the design philosophy: "Why do companies evaluate certain actions?" and "Which actions, when evaluated, deepen customer relationships?" Actions that occur "between" purchases are not merely incidental touchpoints. They are crucial opportunities to increase the frequency with which customers recall the brand and to maintain and strengthen their connection with the brand. This