Column Integrates USDC and USDT Payments with Card Issuance via Single API

Column N.A. has integrated USDC and USDT payment capabilities along with card issuance and processing features into one banking platform. The company's structure provides stablecoin payments, card issuance, transaction processing, and capital supply through a single API. William Hockey, CEO of Column N.A., announced on August 16 via the company blog that it has launched a service enabling real-time conversion between USDC, USDT, and USD, connecting to major payment networks 24/7.

The firm introduced 'full-stack card issuance,' bundling card processing and capital supply. Column embedded stablecoins directly into its banking core, allowing direct conversion of stablecoins to USD without intermediaries or pre-funded liquidity. The company explained that by listing stablecoin addresses and bank accounts on the same ledger, USDC and USDT can be converted to USD or vice versa within 24 hours.

Support includes major blockchains like Solana and Ethereum. Card services cover debit, credit, prepaid, and charge cards, with direct linkage of stablecoin balances to card payments. Stablecoins can settle via Visa and Mastercard. Column aims to consolidate the previously fragmented system requiring separate connections for card issuers, processors, and capital suppliers into one platform.

Column holds its own BIN as a primary member of major U.S. card networks, enabling direct card issuance without replacing the networks themselves. The company confirmed it currently supports Visa, Mastercard, and Discover card issuance. Competitors are also integrating stablecoin infrastructure: Mastercard ($MA) completed its acquisition of stablecoin payment provider BVNK on August 3 to connect blockchain technology with traditional payment systems. Meanwhile, Marqeta ($MQ) announced a partnership with BVNK on September 9 to build a stablecoin-based card infrastructure, where BVNK manages stablecoin movements and Marqeta handles card issuance, merchant payments, banking, and network relationships.

Marqeta projects annual processing volume of $40 billion by 2025, while BVNK processes over $3.9 billion annually. Anthony Peculic, Marqeta's Chief Strategy Officer, emphasized that the key is integrating stablecoins into existing financial infrastructure people already trust.

Column operates as a 100% founder-employee owned company without external venture capital funding. It handles billions in transactions for clients like Ramp, Brex, Bilt, Mercury, and Slash but does not disclose specific stablecoin transaction volumes or client breakdowns. The competitive edge in the stablecoin card market may lie in how efficiently platforms connect payment networks and banking infrastructure rather than the number of supported coins.