Nium has launched domestic card issuance in the US, extending its global card platform to North America.
The move extends Nium's existing multi-region issuing platform, previously available across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, into North America.
According to Nium, businesses expanding across borders typically face increasing payment complexity as they grow, often requiring separate card issuers, integrations, and compliance processes for each country or region they operate in. The company positions its unified platform as a way to consolidate these functions, allowing businesses to manage card issuance across multiple regions through a single provider.
Addressing multi-market payment complexity
Nium reports having issued more than 41 million card credentials across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe over the past 12 months. With the US launch, both domestic and international businesses operating in the US market gain access to this infrastructure, and existing customers using Nium-issued cards elsewhere can extend their programmes into the US.
Rob Regan, EVP of Americas at Nium, said the virtual cards market is projected to reach USD 15.14 trillion by 2031, with North America accounting for roughly 45% of that growth, and described US issuance as giving businesses infrastructure to pursue that opportunity while combining local economics with international reach.
Nium operates several card models globally, including a just-in-time funding approach used in Asia-Pacific and Europe, which the company says helps businesses manage cash flow. This model is now also available in the US. The platform supports single-use and multi-use card credentials, as well as physical and virtual cards, which Nium states allows businesses to match card type to specific use cases and risk profiles. Furthermore, potential applications cited include supplier payments, expense management, loyalty rewards, tuition payments, and employee incentives.
Implications for the travel sector
Nium highlighted the travel sector as an area expected to benefit from the US expansion, citing tens of millions of card credentials already issued to travel companies across Asia-Pacific and Europe. The company noted that a single travel booking can involve multiple parties with different payment requirements, including hotels that prefer virtual cards, airlines that require centralised settlement, ground operators that need bank transfers, and independent properties that require local payment options.
Yael Klein, SVP of Travel at Nium, said the platform was designed around how payments move within the travel industry, where a single booking can touch multiple vendor types with different payment preferences, and described the US launch as an extension of infrastructure already used by travel businesses in Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Bill Dobbins, Head of US Enablement at Visa, cited in Nium's announcement, said the expansion into US domestic issuing was intended to simplify how businesses operating internationally manage payments at scale.
