“Can a single API-first cross-border payments infrastructure layer become the global operating system for money movement — enabling any fintech, bank, or enterprise to pay out to 190+ countries, issue cards in 30+ markets, and manage multi-currency treasury without building any of it themselves?”
Founded in 2014 as Instarem, a consumer-facing remittance app for overseas workers in Southeast Asia. Pivoted to B2B in 2016 by building an API-first payments infrastructure layer, then fully rebranded as Nium in 2019. The company evolved into a global embedded finance infrastructure provider — offering cross-border payouts, card issuing, multi-currency wallets, and FX — serving fintechs, banks, payroll platforms, and enterprises through a single API. After reaching a $2B peak valuation in 2022, Nium underwent a cost-restructuring in 2023 and is now positioning for an IPO while expanding its license portfolio and stablecoin/crypto payout capabilities.
NIUM discloses Nium (self-operated) as its banking provider, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.
NIUM does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Nium (self-operated).
NIUM processes payments through Nium Pay In (self-operated), Nium Pay Out (self-operated) and Nium Checkout (self-operated). Disclosed money-movement rails: ACH, SWIFT and SEPA.
NIUM's cards are issued through Nium (self-operated).
NIUM uses Nium (self-operated) for FX and cross-border payouts.
NIUM's payroll is powered by Nium (self-operated).
The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 7 layers in NIUM's stack: Payments / PSP (Nium Pay In (self-operated), Nium Pay Out (self-operated) and Nium Checkout (self-operated)); Money movement (ACH, SWIFT and SEPA); Banking / BaaS (Nium (self-operated)); Card issuing (Nium (self-operated)); Payroll (Nium (self-operated)); FX & payouts (Nium (self-operated)); Spend / AP (Nium (self-operated)).
NIUM was founded by Prajit Nanu and Michael Bermingham and is founded in 2014, headquartered in Singapore (co-headquartered with San Francisco).
NIUM has raised $300M+ in total (latest round: Series E, 2024; valuation: $1.4B post-money (2024)).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against NIUM and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.