Cardissuing

Card issuing is the process by which financial institutions and licensed fintechs issue payment cards to cardholders. Cards issued include debit, credit, prepaid, and corporate cards, and may be delivered as physical cards or virtual cards. Issuers enable access to payment networks such as Visa, Mastercard, or American Express and are responsible for credit risk, funding, and ongoing account management.

Key steps in card issuing include application and eligibility checks (KYC/AML, credit underwriting as appropriate); card design and personalization (cardholder name, PAN, expiration); production and distribution of the card; activation and linkage to a payment account; and provisioning for online and mobile wallet use. The issuer coordinates with a card network for branding, routing, and settlement, and may manage BIN/IIN ranges or work with network partners.

Card types and issuance models include consumer debit, consumer credit, prepaid and corporate cards, as well as virtual or tokenized cards used for online transactions. Issuance models range from traditional bank-issued cards to fintech-sponsored or white-label programs, where a licensed issuer provides the rails and risk management while the brand and customer relationships are owned by another company.

Regulation and security: Issuers comply with standards such as PCI DSS and EMV for chip-based cards. They follow KYC/AML rules and consumer protection laws applicable to their region. In Europe, PSD2 and open banking influence issuance through APIs and account access. Card networks regulate branding, routing, and settlement, while issuers manage risk, fraud monitoring, and data protection.

Trends and challenges include API-driven issuance platforms that enable faster onboarding, real-time underwriting, and scalable production. Security improvements such as tokenization and dynamic verification, plus ongoing regulatory changes and competition from non-traditional players, shape the market.