Launching a card program has never been more accessible. But behind every physical card, virtual card, embedded wallet, and sleek fintech app lies a complex web of regulation, payments infrastructure, and compliance.
For ambitious businesses—especially those without a banking licence—there’s one enabler that makes it all possible: BIN sponsorship.
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about BIN sponsorship and why it has become such a critical component in driving innovation in payments.
What is BIN sponsorship?
BIN sponsorship allows companies without direct membership with a card network to access global card schemes like Visa or Mastercard® and issue cards to their users. BIN stands for Bank Identification Number, sometimes also referred to as an Issuer Identification Number (IIN). It’s the series of six to eight digits at the beginning of a payment card number that identifies the institution responsible for issuing the card, and is used to route transactions to the right financial institution for payment processing.
Typically, to perform payment-related activities such as holding or transferring cardholder funds an e-money licence is required, which not all companies are able to obtain themselves. But with BIN sponsorship, a regulated entity lends its licence and scheme membership to a third party. This means that a non-bank business, like an unregulated fintech or corporate, can launch its own branded card program without needing to have their own independent card scheme membership and licences.
In other words: BIN sponsorship is a way for businesses to get to market faster.
Acquiring and managing a BIN
BINs are not just numbers. They act as the gateway to global payment networks. Every time a card is used—whether for tapping at a till or paying online—the BIN routes that transaction through the appropriate issuer and network (e.g. Visa or Mastercard). For companies looking to issue cards, having access to a BIN is essential.
But acquiring and managing a BIN isn’t simple. It requires:
- Regulatory authorisation - you must be a licensed financial institution, or partner with one
- Scheme membership - You’ll need to apply to become a principal or associate member of Visa, Mastercard or another card network
- Compliance with strict operational standards - You’ll need the ability to issue and manage cards at scale. This can involve handling; card lifecycle management, transaction monitoring, fraud monitoring and dispute resolution.
How BIN sponsorship can help
This is where BIN sponsors step in. They already have the required licences and scheme memberships. By partnering with a BIN sponsor, a company can operate under the sponsor’s license and card scheme connectivity. The sponsor handles compliance, scheme connectivity, and occasionally issuer processing - while the company can then focus on what it does best whether that’s product design, user experience, or expansion.
Think of it like launching a food delivery app using someone else’s commercial kitchen: you get to serve your customers without having to build and run the kitchen yourself.
Why it matters
Speed. Simplicity. Scale.
In the race to innovate, BIN sponsorship offers businesses a crucial head start. Rather than spending years obtaining regulatory approvals and scheme access, companies can partner with a BIN sponsor and launch in a matter of months. That time-to-market advantage is vital in fast-moving industries.
But it’s not just about speed.
Cost is an influential factor in the decision. Becoming a principal member & building/maintaining a relationship directly with the card networks can be a high cost activity.
Beyond speed and cost concerns, the tenure and reputation of the company is also highly scrutinised. Companies need to operate at sufficient scale, with a proven track record, to be part of the scheme directly.
In short, BIN sponsorship turns a complex, high-barrier process into a flexible, scalable growth enabler.
Who uses BIN sponsorship?
BIN sponsorship is the backbone of many modern fintech and embedded finance offerings. It’s quietly powering innovation across a range of industries:
- Neobanks use BIN sponsorship to offer prepaid, debit and credit cards and digital wallets without needing a banking or EMI licence themselves.
- Online travel agencies (OTAs) issue virtual cards to streamline supplier payments and reduce fraud.
- Expense management platforms issue smart corporate cards with spend controls to help with visibility and budget management.
- Insurtechs use BIN sponsorship to disburse claims via virtual cards for faster customer payouts.
In all these cases, BIN sponsorship removes the friction of regulation—unlocking payment capabilities that were once reserved for financial institutions.
Benefits of a BIN sponsor
Working with a BIN sponsor isn’t just a workaround—it’s a strategic decision that brings a host of benefits:
1. Regulatory coverage
BIN sponsors hold the licences, certifications, and scheme memberships so you don’t have to. They absorb the compliance overhead and ensure you meet all requirements from day one.
2. Faster launch timelines
Avoid the delays of applying for a licence or negotiating directly with schemes. BIN sponsorship lets you get to market quickly and respond to changing customer needs with agility.
3. Scalable infrastructure
Sponsors provide access to robust issuer and scheme infrastructure—meaning you can grow without having to rebuild or reinvest in backend systems.
4. Reduced operational burden
From reporting to reconciliation, a BIN sponsor handles the “boring but vital” parts of running a card program, freeing your team to focus on innovation.
5. Strategic partnership
Good BIN sponsors don’t just offer infrastructure—they offer guidance. The right partner can help you navigate scheme rules, manage fraud risk, and design a scalable, compliant program that evolves with your business.
Shared and dedicated BIN numbers
When setting up your card programme with a BIN sponsor, one of the key decisions you’ll face is whether to use a shared or dedicated BIN. This can have a big impact on how your product behaves—and scales.
Shared BINs
With a shared BIN, multiple programmes run under the same BIN number. This is often the fastest and most cost-effective way to launch. Because you're operating within an existing framework, much of the heavy lifting—like scheme approval and compliance—is already in place.
It’s a great option if you're testing a new proposition or need to move quickly. But it also comes with some trade-offs. Customisation is limited, and BIN configuration is often pre-set.
Dedicated BINs
A dedicated BIN gives your programme its own unique identity. You're not sharing with anyone else, which means more control over how the card works—from transaction routing to BIN-level controls. It’s ideal for mature programmes looking to scale, differentiate, or expand internationally.
Dedicated BINs also unlock more data and branding flexibility, and can support more complex features like card tiering, regional segmentation, or multi-currency wallets.
Of course, with greater control comes added responsibility—and typically, a longer lead time to go live.
Which is right for you?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Shared BINs are perfect for fast, cost effective launches. Dedicated BINs are built for scale and long term flexibility . Our team at Edenred Payment Solutions can help you weigh up the pros and cons based on your goals.
How Edenred Payment Solutions helps
At Edenred Payment Solutions, we specialise in making complex payments infrastructure simple, secure, and scalable.
As a trusted Mastercard Principal member we can be your BIN sponsor.
We offer:
- Scheme access – Direct connectivity to the global card schemes
- In-house processing - As both an in-house card issuer and processor, we manage settlement with the card networks with less risk, complexity and better cost efficiency.
- Shared or dedicated BIN numbers - We can issue both types for prepaid, debit or credit programs.
- Branded physical cards - Customise physical cards with your branding, logo, and your preferred card material (through partnerships with our ecosystem of card fulfilment partners), so users engage with your brand every time they use their card.
- Flexible virtual cards - Our virtual cards can be configured for single or multi-use, and allow cardholders to access funds and make card payments straight away.
- Support for multiple regulatory models – For fintechs and corporates that require an EMI licence to perform payment related activities, we can engage in an Agent model under our e-money licence or we can simply act as the BIN sponsor for regulated institutions, providing access to the card schemes.
- Compliance and oversight – Full support with card transaction monitoring, and reporting requirements.
- Consumer and Corporate BINs - We support BINs for consumer-based programs and corporate BINs for commercial card use.
Whether you’re a fintech, challenger bank , or enterprise exploring card issuing, Edenred Payment Solutions gives you the foundations to build, scale, and innovate—without the complexity.
Conclusion
BIN sponsorship is more than just a regulatory workaround—it’s a launchpad. It empowers businesses to offer modern card experiences without the cost, delay, or risk of becoming a bank. And in a world where speed, trust, and compliance are make-or-break, that edge is invaluable.
Choosing the right BIN sponsor is critical. With Edenred Payment Solutions, you gain not just access to schemes and licences, but a long-term partner invested in your success.
Ready to launch your own card program?
Get in touch with our experts and let them help you explore how we can easily integrate one or more financial products within your platform.
