# Use Stripe Issuing in different countries

Learn how different integration options vary by country.

Stripe Issuing offers solutions for platforms to provide cards to businesses across multiple geographies. This guide explains the different integration options available for issuing cards globally, including local issuing and cross-border issuing through programs for multinational companies and stablecoin-backed cards.

Learn how to:

- Use local issuing in 22 countries.
- Apply for early access to expand your card program internationally using a cross-border issuing integration that allows you to:
  - Serve multinational companies with subsidiaries in multiple countries.
  - Issue stablecoin-backed cards in more than 30 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

[Stripe Issuing](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing.md) provides the tools and infrastructure to do business across borders, whether you’re starting a new card program or expanding an existing one.

## Local issuing

Most Issuing programs use local Issuing. This means the Issuer (the financial institution providing cards) and the Stripe platform are in the same region as the connected account and cardholder. For example, if your business is  established in Europe, you can issue cards to any company or individual residing in any European Economic Area (EEA) country.

Locally issued cards can be used anywhere your card network (Visa or Mastercard) is accepted. They’re denominated in USD, EUR, or GBP depending on your platform’s location. Automatic currency conversion occurs as necessary.

Stripe Issuing is live with local Issuance in 22 countries. [Contact us ](https://stripe.com/contact/baas) to set up local Issuing in any of the following countries:

- AT
- BE
- CY
- DE
- EE
- ES
- FI
- FR
- GB
- GR
- HR
- IE
- IT
- LT
- LU
- LV
- MT
- NL
- PT
- SI
- SK
- US

## Cross-border issuing

Issuers typically seek to enter new markets and expand with the existing businesses they serve. You can use Stripe Issuing to serve global businesses with a single card program, without launching new countries or regions.

Stripe Issuing:

- Establishes local card ranges with local interchange and fees.
- Eliminates unnecessary cross-border fees.
- Enables access to USD balances for users in markets with volatile currencies.
- Lets platforms go to market and use other Stripe products for services such as:
  - Employee reimbursements
  - Funds storage
  - FX
  - Global acquiring
  - Compliance
  - Fraud prevention

### Multinational programs

For enterprise issuers serving large multinational companies, we support Visa’s Multinational Program and Mastercard’s Extension of Area of Use programs. Platforms can issue cards to subsidiaries of US multinational companies in over 40 countries where the US multinational is already an accountholder.

### Stablecoin cards (private preview)

Stablecoin-backed card programs let platforms issue prepaid or debit cards backed by stablecoin balances in more than 30 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Platforms can enter additional markets with a single integration, without launching separate local card programs in each country.

> Stablecoin-backed cards are in [private preview](https://docs.stripe.com/release-phases.md). To get access, [contact Stripe sales](https://stripe.com/contact/embedded-finance).

Learn how to [set up stablecoin-backed Issuing cards](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/stablecoin-cards-for-financial-accounts.md).

## See also

- [Creating Cards](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/cards/virtual/issue-cards.md)
- [Stablecoin-backed Issuing cards](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/stablecoin-cards-for-financial-accounts.md)