Column built an issuer processor from scratch

column.com

31 points·Matthalp··8 comments

founder of column here - happy to answer any questions! We launched a bunch more stuff today as well, column.com/launch

Can one use column to support or build escrow type services?

Also congrats on the launch!

Yes! We have a whole product and team focused on fiduciaries. It's a great market to build in right now.

I am one of the engineers who built this. Column is an OCC-chartered bank with its own in-house built banking core, so the processor runs on the same core as our ledger and payment rails.

We have direct integrations with Visa and Mastercard. It supports credit, debit, charge, fleet, prepaid, and stablecoin-backed programs, and what you'd expect from a mature issuer processor out of the gate: 3DS, digital wallets, Level 3 data, disputes, spend controls, and card manufacturer integrations.

Happy to answer questions!

How were you funded?

This looks like a self funded company. The founder is already a billionaire I guess.

(So transitively, funded by Plaid being a successful company in a similar space, and its founder then having capital to do other things)

Plaid was a security nightmare for years before they were basically forced at gunpoint to get it together and even then it just seems from the outside that they are better. I'm not sure I would trust any company by the founder.

I am very curious about the tech stack for the core system and what the development process looked like.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com