Best Card Issuing Platforms In 2027

Last updated: November 2026

Quick answer: For card programs in 2027, Marqeta leads on just-in-time funding and fine-grained controls, Stripe Issuing and Adyen Issuing suit companies already on those platforms, Lithic and Highnote are developer-friendly US options, Galileo handles large consumer programs, Thredd and Paymentology serve global issuer-processors, Enfuce is strong in Europe, and Nium combines issuing with cross-border payouts.

Card Issuing Platforms At A Glance

Platform	Base	Strength	Best for
Marqeta	United States	Just-in-time funding and controls	Expense, commerce and lending cards
Stripe Issuing	United States	Issuing inside Stripe	Platforms already on Stripe
Adyen Issuing	Netherlands	Issuing alongside acquiring	Enterprise platforms on Adyen
Lithic	United States	Developer-first card APIs	Startups launching quickly
Highnote	United States	Modern issuer processing	Commercial and embedded cards
Galileo	United States	High-volume processing	Large consumer programs
Thredd	United Kingdom	Global issuer processing	Fintechs across many markets
Paymentology	United Kingdom	Global issuer processing	Emerging and multi-region programs
Enfuce	Finland	European card issuing as a service	EU programs
Nium	Singapore	Issuing plus cross-border payouts	Travel and B2B payments

The Best Card Issuing Platforms

1. Marqeta: Controls And Just-In-Time Funding

Marqeta pioneered modern card issuing with real-time authorization controls and just-in-time funding.

2. Stripe Issuing: Cards Inside Stripe

Stripe Issuing lets platforms create physical and virtual cards from the same account they use for payments.

3. Adyen Issuing: Acquiring And Issuing Together

Adyen offers issuing for platforms already processing with Adyen, keeping funds on one platform.

4. Lithic: Developer-First

Lithic offers card issuing APIs designed for fast developer onboarding.

5. Highnote: Modern Issuer Processing

Highnote provides card issuing and processing aimed at commercial and embedded programs.

6. Galileo: Large Consumer Programs

Galileo processes cards and accounts for many large fintech programs.

7. Thredd: Global Issuer Processor

Thredd, formerly Global Processing Services, powers card programs for fintechs across many countries.

8. Paymentology: Multi-Region Processing

Paymentology provides issuer processing across many regions, including emerging markets.

9. Enfuce: Europe-Focused Issuing

Enfuce offers card issuing as a service for European programs.

10. Nium: Cards Plus Payouts

Nium combines card issuing with real-time cross-border payouts.

How To Choose A Card Issuing Platform

Which card types and regions?

Debit, prepaid, credit and commercial cards and supported countries vary by provider.

How much control do you need?

Spend controls, authorization logic and JIT funding matter for expense and lending cards.

Who is the issuing bank?

Most platforms partner with banks; check who issues in each market.

What does a program cost?

Expect setup, per-card and processing fees, plus network and bank costs.

How We Evaluated

We compared platforms on issuing features, controls, processing scale, regions and fit, using vendor materials and independent comparisons. No company paid to appear on this list.

FAQ

What is a card issuing platform?

Software and processing that lets companies launch their own branded payment cards through a partner bank.

Can I issue cards without a bank license?

Yes, through a platform and its partner issuing bank.

What are virtual cards used for?

Online spend, supplier payments, subscriptions and controlled employee spending.

Is issuing part of banking-as-a-service?

Often; see the best BaaS platforms.

Conclusion

Choose by card type, region and level of control, then check the bank behind each program.