Nium Expands into US Market with Domestic Card Issuance

Nium, a Singapore-based cross-border payment firm, has launched domestic card issuance in the U.S. This move enables businesses to issue local cards in various regions through a single platform.

The company is targeting international processes that traditionally involve separate payment processors in different countries. Corporate travel is an early area where Nium hopes to pick up market share against incumbents like American Express, which has recently boosted its profile through partnerships and AI-powered travel assistants.

Nium's existing global scale will be used to boost its payment business in the U.S., with 41 million card credentials issued in APAC, the Middle East, and Europe over the past 12 months. The company supports single and multi-use credentials for physical and virtual cards, aiming to better manage payouts across different regions than a mix of providers.

While travel is a big focus for Nium's U.S. expansion, the company is also hoping to issue cards for supplier payments, education, and general expense management. Its recent partnership with Coinbase will improve its ability to offer stablecoins as a way to bridge cross-border payments involving different currencies.