LAVA update: A note to our clients from CEO Wen Miao

We’re thrilled to share some big news about LAVA and, most importantly, what it means for our clients.

As of today, LAVA has been acquired by Bilt, the leading neighborhood commerce and rewards platform for where you live. This milestone creates new opportunities for our business and especially for our clients. Sports teams and live event organizers can now reach fans and guests 365 days a year and deliver even better experiences. Spanning more than 7 million homes, more than 50,000 merchants, services, and hospitality providers across the country, Bilt boasts the highest value rewards currency on the market today. 

As part of Bilt, LAVA can help you generate even more incremental revenue, unlock new benefits for your fans in their neighborhoods, and build deeper, longer-lasting customer engagement. We look forward to sharing more soon, but for now, our message to you is simple: the people, product, and support you know and experience today will remain the same.

People

The people you work with today will continue to be here supporting you. Your existing relationships, account team, and regular points of contact will remain the same. We understand that trusted relationships are vital to our partnership, and maintaining that continuity is our first priority.

Product

The product and technology that you rely on will remain and operate the same as they do today. There is no change to your current platform, integrations, workflows, or how you use our solution as a result of this acquisition. You can continue using the technology with the same confidence and expectations you have today.

Support

The high level of service that you receive also remains the same. Your existing support processes and points of contact will continue as they do today. Our commitment to responsiveness, partnership, and helping you achieve your goals remains unchanged. 

Even greater opportunities ahead

Continuity is our immediate priority, but we’re also looking ahead. Through Bilt, we have access to even more resources, expertise, technology, and capabilities, plus a sprawling network of engaged members and connected merchants that can help accelerate innovation and expand the value we deliver.

Our combined platform will connect your member experience to a nationwide network of neighborhood businesses, creating new ways to sell tickets, increase spending at your venue, and drive sponsorship revenue. Fans can take advantage benefits from their favorite team beyond game day, making it easier for you to engage them year-round. We'd love to set time to share more with you.

Continued investment in our product

From today forward as part of the Bilt team, we will continue investing in the platform and its capabilities, with the goal of bringing you more functionality, greater value, and new revenue opportunities by enabling easy access to Bilt’s expansive neighborhood network. Our product roadmap will continue to be shaped by the needs and feedback of customers like you.

Our commitment to you

Our clients are at the center of this next chapter. We remain committed to maintaining your trust, delivering a great product, and being an innovative and reliable partner for your business.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. We look forward to building on what we’ve accomplished together and creating even more value for you in the future.

If you have any questions about the merger or what it means for your organization, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can expect to see this exciting news in some corners of the media starting today, and welcome you to celebrate with us.

Thank you,

Wen Miao

LAVA Co-founder & CEO

LAVA Marketplace now accepts credit card payments

LAVA Marketplace is no longer just a place to redeem points, select gifts or reserve entitlements. Members can now pay securely by credit card in multiple currencies, alongside points and stored value, and you decide which ‘currencies’ each item accepts.

Choose which payment options appear

You set payment options for each product variant, such as a single size or color. Each variant can accept any combination of:

• Points

• Stored value

• Card payment in US dollars or any major foreign currency

You enter a fixed, tax-inclusive price for each currency. One item can sell for points only, while another sells for points or dollars. That means you can sell exclusive experiences by card and keep everyday merchandise redeemable with points.

Want to encourage purchases of stored value credit? Sell discounted stored value packages in Marketplace for members to spend onsite. For example, a member pays $50 by card and gets $60 in stored value.

What does Marketplace checkout look like for members?

Members select their preferred payment method and select "Continue to payment." Credit card details are added via a secure PCI-compliant payment page. Payment details can be saved for future purchases and updated anytime from the account page.

Plug into the payment processor you already use

You choose how card payments are processed:

• Through LAVA's payment processor. Funds and reporting are automatically routed to your connected account.

• Through your existing processor. Keep your current processor, and any negotiated or sponsor rates, and our PSP will route transactions to your processor.

You can export a full orders report for reconciliation.

Get started

Want to see Marketplace card payments in action? Book a demo, or contact your LAVA account manager to learn more.

LAVA signs the Toledo Mud Hens and West Michigan Whitecaps

LAVA is heading to the ballpark! We're proud to announce two new Minor League Baseball partnerships: the Toledo Mud Hens and the West Michigan Whitecaps.

Both are Detroit Tigers affiliates—the Mud Hens at Triple-A and the Whitecaps at High-A—and both are the kind of organizations we love working with: community-driven, fan-obsessed, and always looking for ways to make the gameday experience better.

About the Toledo Mud Hens

The Toledo Mud Hens are one of the most iconic brands in Minor League Baseball. A Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, the Mud Hens play at Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo, Ohio—a venue that was named the best minor league ballpark in America by Newsweek when it opened in 2002. With a history dating back to 1896 and 75 home games per season, the Mud Hens have built a loyal, multigenerational fan base in northwest Ohio.

Modernizing the fan experience in Toledo

The Mud Hens came to LAVA looking to modernize a fan experience that was held back by disconnected systems and manual processes, including paper vouchers for rewards and an inability to redeem across all points of sale. LAVA is replacing that approach with a connected digital ecosystem, integrating across the Mud Hens' ticketing with Tickets.com, POS, and payment systems to power mobile wallet passes,  points and stored value rewards, digital redemption across concessions and merchandise, and added-value ticket offers—all in one platform. The result: a seamless, modern fan experience bridging digital and in-person touchpoints.

“Delivering a great gameday experience has always been at the core of what we do, and partnering with LAVA will enable us to keep raising that bar. Moving from paper vouchers to a fully connected digital platform means our fans can focus on what they came for—a great night at the ballpark." — Brian Perkins, VP of Fan & Business Intelligence, Toledo Mud Hens

About the West Michigan Whitecaps

The West Michigan Whitecaps are the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, based at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan, just outside Grand Rapids. The Whitecaps were named Minor League Baseball's 2025 Organization of the Year—the highest organizational honor in MiLB—capping a season in which they posted a 92–39 record, won the Midwest League championship, and achieved their highest average attendance in 25 years. It was their fourth consecutive season of attendance growth, a testament to their passionate fan base and relentless commitment to the fan experience.

Getting started in West Michigan

The Whitecaps are kicking off their partnership with LAVA this season by launching concession added-value tickets, giving fans preloaded concession value tied directly to their ticket purchase through an integration with Tickets.com. It's a great first step that enhances the gameday experience from the moment a ticket is bought.

Why Minor League Baseball 

Minor league teams are the heart of their communities. With 70+ home games per season, they offer a massive number of fan touchpoints—and every one of those interactions is an opportunity to deepen the fan relationship, drive per cap spend, and create moments that bring people back. These organizations run lean and move fast, which makes LAVA's pre-built integrations and fast time to value especially relevant. Signing two Tigers affiliates also signals LAVA's ability to serve across organizational ecosystems, from Triple-A to High-A.

"The best fan experiences start with connected data and real-time activation. We're excited to partner with the Mud Hens and Whitecaps and help them deliver exactly that." — Wen Miao, CEO, Lava.ai

What's next

Two new partnerships, two great teams, and a lot of baseball ahead. We're just getting started with both the Mud Hens and the Whitecaps, and we're looking forward to building on these foundations—more integrations, more fan moments, and more ways to drive value across the gameday experience.

Interested in how LAVA can help your organization? Contact us.