Pliant launches in the U.S. with Coastal as sponsor bank

Pliant, a Berlin-based fintech focused on B2B payment solutions, has announced its entry into the U.S. market through a partnership with Coastal Community Bank, a subsidiary of Coastal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CCB).

Under the agreement, Coastal will serve as Pliant's U.S. sponsor bank, providing the regulatory framework for Pliant to offer card issuing services in the country. The arrangement is intended to support agent-based issuing structures within the U.S. banking ecosystem.

Pliant, founded in 2020, operates a B2B payments platform combining card issuing and spend management tools. The company previously operated card programs across Europe.

"This partnership marks an important step in establishing our long-term presence in the United States," said Malte Rau, CEO and co-founder of Pliant. "Entering the U.S. market requires more than product readiness. It requires strong regulatory alignment and a sponsor bank that shares a disciplined approach to infrastructure and compliance."

Brian Hamilton, President at Coastal, said the company was pleased to support the launch, adding that "fintech innovation succeeds when it is built on a strong regulatory and operational foundation."

Coastal Financial Corporation, headquartered in Everett, Washington, operates Coastal Community Bank, which holds $4.74 billion in assets and maintains 14 branches across Snohomish, Island, and King Counties.

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