November 13, 2026, 9:25 a.m. (JST)
[Japan] Newline, a subsidiary of Fifth Third, has partnered with Visa to enable FinTech companies to offer Visa corporate cards in more than 40 countries. On the same day, Sushil Raja, General Manager (GM) of Embedded Payments andDeposits at Newline by Fifth Third, and Kaitlin Moran, Head of Visa Co-branded Cards, took the stage at a press briefing to present an overview of the service.
Three Barriers
to Overseas Use of Corporate Cards Transactions are authorized in local currency and processed just like locally issued cards
As part of the trend toward globalization, companies are becoming increasingly global.Fintech companies and their customers are also becoming more global. When U.S.-issued corporate cards are used overseas, users typically face three major challenges. One is international transaction fees; another is foreign exchange fees. The third is the inconsistent acceptance of these cards by merchants. For companies managing teams and handling expenses in other countries, these friction points can be a significant burden.
Through this partnership with Visa, Newline will enable eligible U.S. fintech companies to issue Visa corporate cards for approved business purposes. The service will be rolled out in more than 40 countries via Visa MNP. The company stated that this will create significant opportunities for many clients and prospects.
When using Visa MNP, cards are issued in the cardholder’s country for local use, so transactions are authorized in local currency and processed just like locally issued cards. Cardholders will enjoy a more localized payment experience, and eligible U.S.-based fintech companies will be able to manage approved programs through their existing relationship with Newline.
“For example,” said Raja, “a U.S.-based expense management platform can issue approved corporate cards for business expenses to its customers’ overseas teams locally. Since these cards are treated the same as locally issued cards, they reduce the hassle of in-store payments. The expense management platform can centrally manage the program through Newline.”
This was made possible by a developer-first embedded banking platform combined with the financial infrastructure of a top-10 bank. Fintech companies targeting the U.S. market can now centrally manage approved programs rather than adding separate providers for each region.
Centralized Program Management
via Newline Visa Offers Multinational Issuance Programs
“Through our collaboration with Newline by Fifth Third, Visa hopes to make it easier for eligible U.S. fintech companies to utilize multinational corporate card issuance,” Moran said.
Visa’s customer base is becoming increasingly global. As a result, issuing corporate cards on a market-by-market basis can be time-consuming and complex. This multinational issuing program provides the support and framework necessary for eligible U.S. fintech companies to issue Visa corporate cards in more than 40 countries worldwide.
Through the partnership with Newline, eligible fintech companies can access markets around the world and issue multinational corporate cards through a single business relationship.
This initiative further advances Fifth Third’s journey in payment innovation. The bank has previously been involved in initiatives such as a shared ATM network and Midwest Payment Systems (later Vantiv). It has continued to expand its payments business, becoming one of the early participating financial institutions in Zelle and launching Newline for embedded payments.
Fifth Third, one of the major U.S. banks, believes that its strong financial foundation and risk management framework will enable it to provide the support that partners and customers expect.
Mr. Moran stated, “Newline’s scale, execution capabilities, risk management framework, and aggressive growth strategy make it an ideal partner for expanding this program alongside Visa.”
