Medius and Astrada Launch 'Bring Your Own Card' to Automate Corporate Spend Without Switching Banks

Medius has partnered with Astrada to launch "Bring Your Own Card" (BYOC) functionality, allowing enterprises to integrate existing corporate card portfolios directly into the Medius Expense platform. This integration removes the friction of switching banking providers to access automated expense management, offering finance teams real-time visibility and automated reconciliation without disrupting established banking relationships.

What was announced

The new BYOC functionality, developed in collaboration with Astrada, is designed to bridge the gap between traditional corporate banking and modern spend management automation. Historically, large organizations seeking high levels of expense automation were often forced to migrate their entire card program to a spend management provider's proprietary card. This new feature allows businesses to maintain their existing card programs, terms, and controls while transactions flow automatically into Medius Expense.

The system works by having administrators connect their card portfolio once with the issuing bank. After this initial setup, any new cards issued within that portfolio are added to the platform automatically. The integration supports major card networks and issuers, ensuring that transactions are converted into ready-to-review expenses in real-time. This reduces the need for manual receipt chasing and the reliance on delayed bank file imports.

The launch is part of a broader strategy by Medius to create a unified platform for accounts payable automation, payments, and expense management. At launch, the BYOC feature is available to all new Medius Expense customers. Additionally, a support-assisted migration path is being provided for priority existing customers who currently rely on manual bank file imports, allowing them to transition to the automated feed.

"Finance teams shouldn't have to choose between the corporate cards their people already use and the automation they need to control spend. Bring Your Own Card gives businesses the flexibility to keep their existing card programs while accelerating reconciliation, improving visibility, and reducing manual work."

Ekaterina Dzhalchinova, VP, Product Management, Medius.

The companies involved

Medius is a prominent provider of accounts payable (AP) automation and spend management solutions. The company focuses on streamlining the entire "source-to-pay" process, helping finance departments gain control over costs and improve operational efficiency. With a significant footprint in the fintech sector, Medius has established itself as a key player for mid-market and enterprise-level organizations looking to digitize their financial operations.

Astrada is a fintech firm specializing in building the data infrastructure necessary for autonomous finance. Led by CEO Salman Syed, the company provides the underlying connectivity that allows spend platforms to ingest and process transaction data from various sources seamlessly. Astrada’s technology acts as a bridge between traditional financial institutions and modern software platforms, enabling real-time data flows that power automated expense management. By focusing on the "data layer," Astrada allows its partners to offer sophisticated financial tools without requiring users to abandon their legacy banking infrastructure. Together, these companies are addressing a common pain point in corporate finance: the disconnect between banking data and accounting software.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the expansion of Medius’s ecosystem, including its recent efforts to enhance compliance and regional presence. We previously reported on how Medius and Avalara Partner to Automate US Sales Tax Verification in AP Workflows, a move aimed at reducing tax-related errors. The company has also focused on talent acquisition to drive growth, as seen when Medius Names Maartje van Zadelhoff as Sales Director to Scale Benelux Operations. Earlier this year, we covered the Medius Financial Census: 87% of Finance Professionals Admit to Ignoring Small-Scale Fraud, which revealed significant gaps in corporate spend oversight. Regarding its partner, FF News reported when Astrada Raises Seed Round to Build the Data Layer for Autonomous Finance, highlighting the company's foundational role in the sector.

What this means

This move signals a shift in the power dynamic between spend management platforms and traditional commercial banks. For years, spend management startups used proprietary cards as a primary lever to capture enterprise customers. By enabling "Bring Your Own Card," Medius is acknowledging that large enterprises are often unwilling to sever deep-rooted banking ties for the sake of a better software interface. This puts pressure on card-issuing fintechs that rely on interchange revenue as their primary business model. It also raises questions about whether the "all-in-one" card-and-software model is losing its luster in favor of interoperable, bank-agnostic financial stacks.