A technique for administering a rebate program includes logic for generating rebate information based the purchase of goods and/or services using a card instrument. The technique further includes logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by an brokerage service. In one embodiment, the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction. In this case, the rebate is used to fund at least part of the transaction fee. The rebate therefore entitles the cardholder to perform a transaction free of charge. The rebate thus is converted to one or more "free transactions," and in a more specific application, one or more "free trades."