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What decides which BIN you actually get?
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CARD TYPES & ISSUANCE • BINS
Visa or Mastercard? Here's how Swype's BINs differSwype supports multiple Bank Identification Numbers (BINs) depending on the card scheme. The scheme you get shapes what the card is actually built for. |
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AUDIENCE B2B Clients |
SCHEMES Visa & Mastercard |
AVAILABILITY Varies by program |
Short answer: Visa BINs are issued as purchasing cards for controlled, online and business-related spend. Mastercard BINs are issued as corporate cards for broader business spending. Which one you actually get depends on geography, issuer approval, and how your program is configured.
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What a BIN actually determines |
A Bank Identification Number is the first set of digits on a card, and it determines which scheme, issuer, and card program a transaction routes through. In practice, the BIN dictates what kind of spend the card is approved for, which merchant category codes it can authorize, and how it's positioned to your end users — not just which logo is printed on it.
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Visa vs. Mastercard, side by side |
Issued as: Purchasing cards Built for controlled spend — common for online purchases and specific, business-related expense categories where you want tighter scope around what the card can be used for. Typical fit: defined-purpose spend, online transactions, vendor payments with a narrower use case. |
Issued as: Corporate cards Designed for broader business spending — a wider range of merchant categories and use cases, suited to general operating expenses rather than one narrow purpose. Typical fit: general business expenses, travel, and day-to-day operational spend. |
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What decides which BIN you actually get |
You don't simply pick a scheme off a menu. Final availability is gated by three factors:
| ● | Geography — not every BIN is licensed to issue in every market |
| ● | Issuer approval — the issuing bank behind the BIN signs off on your specific program |
| ● | Program configuration — how your specific use case, spend controls, and card setup are structured |
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Important Don't design your product roadmap around a specific scheme before confirming availability for your geography and program. The scheme assigned to your program can constrain which merchant category codes your end users can transact in. |
Not sure which BIN fits your use case?
Tell us your geography and use case, and our team can confirm what's actually available for your program.
Contact Support →