Fintech Rundown (31/03) - Wise, Plaid, Nium

Wise is launching its UK current account, and I had a chance to see it firsthand at the Wise UK Current Account Launch Event. ​​ The move comes as everyday usage in the UK surges: Wise served 3 million active people and businesses in the UK last year, holding over £8bn in their accounts. The new current account comes with a Travel Hub and includes a new Airport Lounge Pass feature to make international travel more convenient. And last but not least the Current Account customers can earn a 3.26% variable rate on GBP balances through Wise Assets’ Interest feature.

Plaid CFO says the company earned the right to choose the date for its IPO. The company’s annual recurring revenue last year climbed 40% from the year earlier, to more than $500 million. That’s up from a pace of 27% in 2024. Plaid also said it turned a full-year profit on an adjusted earnings before taxes. This growth comes after Plaid pushed into new business lines—including payments, antifraud services and underwriting.

Fintech Nium has launched its stablecoin card issuance platform. The solution is designed to let companies holding stablecoins issue spending cards on both the Visa and Mastercard networks through a single API integration. The company added that the offering is designed to allow stablecoin settlement options where supported, while letting companies deploy stablecoin balances through cards and payouts without maintaining separate provider relationships.

That’s your fintech rundown. Stay tuned for more updates.