What is a BIN sponsor? How new brands issue their own Visa and Mastercard cards
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
Every Visa or Mastercard card number starts with a few digits, the BIN (bank identification number), that tell the network which firm issued it. Only licensed members of the card schemes can hold BINs. A BIN sponsor is one of those members that lets another company issue cards under its BIN, which is how most new brands launch cards.
Who does what
- The card scheme, such as Visa or Mastercard, runs the network.
- The BIN sponsor is the licensed issuer, responsible to the scheme and regulators.
- The issuer processor runs the cards' technology: authorising payments and managing balances.
- The programme manager, often the brand itself, owns the customers and the app.
Why brands use a sponsor
Becoming a scheme member directly means getting a licence, meeting the schemes' capital and compliance rules and building card systems, which takes years. A sponsor lets a brand launch cards in months, with its own name and design on them.
What the sponsor will ask for
Expect checks on your business, your plan for identity checks and fraud, and how customer money will be held. The sponsor stays responsible for the programme, so it approves your card design, marketing and terms.
Launching branded cards
SendPay card platforms, powered by licensed partners, let you issue branded virtual and physical cards. Designing is free, with virtual cards at 20p each and physical cards at £4 each plus shipping.
Build it
Create your own financial platform.
Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
Which network does a card number belong to?
Check the first digits and the Luhn check.
Card number checker →What is an interchange fee?
The part of each card payment that goes to the card issuer. The guide explains it.
What is an interchange fee? →What is a virtual card?
A card that lives in an app, used online or in a phone wallet.
What is a virtual card? →How do branded cards work on SendPay?
The branded cards guide covers designs, costs and launch.
Branded Visa cards →Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.