Citi has applied to register a trademark for “Citi Strata Premier”, suggesting a new Citi credit card may be on the way, especially on the heels of Citi’s September application for a “Citi Strata Elite” trademark. The Citi Strata Premier application was filed on December 14, 2022.
Citi has been without a coherent strategy in the travel credit card space since closing the Citi Prestige card to new applicants last year. The Citi Strata Elite name suggests perhaps a new high-end travel card that would essentially replace the former Citi Prestige, and the new trademark filing suggests more of a “starter” travel credit card with fewer perks but a lower annual fee. The Chase Sapphire credit cards come to mind as a comparison when looking at what other banks are doing in this space.
Citi does already have a Citi Premier card that perhaps could be re-worked and re-branded as the Citi Strata Premier.
Citi has not commented on the possibility of new credit cards, and trademarking potential card names does not guarantee that actual products will ever be launched. In addition, the trademark process usually takes 12 to 18 months, so if Citi were to wait until the company “officially” has a registered trademark, it could be a while before any cards launch under these new names. (However, Citi could still launch new cards using the names, and claim a trademark, even before registration of the trademark is officially complete.)
Author: Adam Jusko