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Mercury vs Bridge
Of the 170 countries we track, Mercury onboards businesses in 1 and Bridge in 124 (and 21 more with limits). Both serve businesses in 1.
Only Bridge · 144
🇨🇦 Canada🇲🇽 Mexico🇧🇷 Brazil🇦🇷 Argentina🇨🇴 Colombia🇨🇱 Chile🇵🇪 Peru🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇮🇪 Ireland🇩🇪 Germany🇫🇷 France🇳🇱 Netherlands🇧🇪 Belgium🇱🇺 Luxembourg🇦🇹 Austria🇪🇸 Spain🇵🇹 Portugal🇮🇹 Italy🇬🇷 Greece🇨🇾 Cyprus🇲🇹 Malta🇸🇪 Sweden🇩🇰 Denmark🇳🇴 Norway🇫🇮 Finland🇮🇸 Iceland🇵🇱 Poland🇨🇿 Czechia🇸🇰 Slovakia🇭🇺 Hungaryand 114 more →
Side by side
Pick where your business is registered. Add up to two more providers.
Pick up to 4.
For a business registered in
Onboards businesses in United States
Mercury
AvailableBridge
AvailableAccept payments
Mercury
Invoices your customers pay by card or ACH debit, also available through the API.Bridge
Not offeredPay people abroad
Mercury
Domestic ACH and wires, international wires, and API payments to saved recipients.Bridge
Off-ramps from stablecoins to bank accounts on local rails such as ACH, SEPA, SPEI and Pix.Multi-currency account
Mercury
US dollar checking and savings with FDIC insurance through partner banks, plus Treasury for idle cash.Bridge
Virtual accounts that give each customer fiat deposit details in USD, EUR, MXN, BRL, GBP or COP.Business cards
Mercury
Debit cards and the IO corporate credit card with spend controls.Bridge
Stablecoin-linked Visa cards, issued with Stripe Issuing, rolling out by country.Stablecoins
Mercury
Not offeredBridge
Wallets, orchestration across fiat and stablecoins, and Open Issuance to launch your own stablecoin.Yield on idle cash
Mercury
Mercury Treasury invests idle cash in government money market funds and, since August 2026, an ultra-short bond fund. It is not FDIC insured, may lose value, and carries a 0.15–0.60% fee.Bridge
Platforms that issue their own stablecoin through Bridge receive the interest earned on its reserves, minus issuance fees. Bridge’s closed-loop USDB coin also earns rewards inside Bridge.Yield on idle cash
A return on money you are not using. How safe it is depends on where the return comes from, not on how high the rate is.
Where the return comes from
Mercury
Low risk, not insuredMoney market fundModerate riskShort-term bond fundBridge
Moderate riskStablecoin reserve revenueIs the money protected?
Mercury
Money market fund: Not a deposit and not insured. The fund holds short-term government debt and aims to keep its value stable, but that is not guaranteed. Broker protection (SIPC in the US) covers the broker failing, not investment losses.Short-term bond fund: Not insured, and the price moves every day, so you can get back less than you put in.Bridge
For platforms issuing their own stablecoin: you earn the interest on the reserves behind it. Safety depends on those reserves, typically short-term US Treasuries and bank cash, and on the issuer.Does the rate change?
Mercury
Floats daily with central bank rates, so it falls when rates are cut. Moves with interest rates and bond prices.Last seen: Up to about 3.6% net, for the largest balances (May 2026)Bridge
Follows short-term Treasury rates, minus fees.Last seen: Follows short-term US Treasury rates, minus feesFees
Published prices only, with the date we read them. Many providers negotiate prices instead.
How pricing works
Mercury
Mercury's core banking is $0 per month. Paid plans are Plus and Pro ($29.90 and $299 per month on annual billing; Mercury's FAQ says paid plans start at $35/month). ACH and domestic wires are free; USD international wires are free (or a flat $15 to send as OUR); non-USD international wires carry a 1% conversion fee; non-USD card transactions carry an international transaction fee (rate not stated on the page).Bridge
Bridge does not publish pricing. Its site offers a demo request and asks businesses to chat with its team; bridge.xyz/pricing returns 404.Published prices
Mercury
Base plan (US): $0 per monthPaid plans (US): Plus $29.90/month and Pro $299/month (annual-billing prices shown, 15% off); FAQ says paid plans start at $35/monthDomestic transfers (US): ACH, domestic wires and real-time payments freeInternational wires (US): USD international wires free (SHA; intermediary bank fees may be deducted from what the recipient gets), or a flat $15 to send as OUR so intermediary fees are charged to Mercury; 1% conversion fee on non-USD international wires (contact Mercury if exchanging over $200K)Card FX (US): International transaction fee on non-USD debit and credit card transactions (rate not stated on the pricing page)Bridge
Pricing (all): Not published: demo request / talk to the teamWhat you can sell
From each provider’s acceptable use policy. “Restricted” means allowed only with approval or conditions, or banned for part of the category.
Software and digital goods
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedCrypto
Mercury
RestrictedCrypto exchanges cannot open accounts. Mercury says it supports many other crypto and Web3 businesses (startups, DAOs, funds); accounts hold fiat only.Bridge
Not statedLending and financial services
Mercury
RestrictedMoney services businesses cannot open accounts. Other financial services (e.g. funds) are not excluded.Bridge
Not allowedInvestment or credit services, check cashing, bail bonds, collections agencies and money services are on the Prohibited Activities List.Gambling
Mercury
Not allowedInternet gambling businesses cannot open accounts, and the Terms bar online gambling transactions even where legal.Bridge
Not statedAdult content
Mercury
Not allowedAdult entertainment businesses cannot open accounts.Bridge
Not allowedAdult content and services are on the Prohibited Activities List.Dating
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedFirearms and weapons
Mercury
Not allowedMercury's Web3 FAQ says it can't work with businesses that sell firearms, weapons or ammunition. This is not repeated on the eligibility article.Bridge
Not statedCannabis and CBD
Mercury
Not allowedCannabis businesses cannot open accounts; the Web3 FAQ adds CBD and cannabis-derived products.Bridge
Not statedSupplements
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedPharmacy and telemedicine
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedTravel
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedMulti-level marketing
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not allowedMulti-level marketing is on the Prohibited Activities List.Free-trial subscriptions
Mercury
Not statedBridge
Not statedPlatform & marketplace
Run payments for other businesses: sign them up, take a cut, pay them out.
Sub-accounts for your users
Mercury
NoMercury’s API manages your own accounts; there is no product for creating accounts for your users.Bridge
YesCreate customers, individuals or businesses, through the API, with Bridge running KYC and KYB.Split payments and platform fees
Mercury
NoNot a payment processor.Bridge
NoNot a card payment processor.Embeddable UI
Mercury
NoNo embeddable components.Bridge
PartlyHosted KYC links; everything else is API.Pay out to your users
Mercury
PartlyAPI payments to saved recipients by ACH or wire. Fine for paying vendors, not built for paying a platform’s users at scale.Bridge
YesOff-ramps from stablecoins to bank accounts on local rails, including through permanent liquidation addresses.Embedded finance for your users
Give your users financial products under your brand.
Accounts that hold money
Mercury
NoNot offered to platforms.Bridge
YesVirtual accounts: per-customer fiat deposit details in USD, EUR, MXN, BRL, GBP and COP that convert to stablecoins.Cards for your users
Mercury
NoCards are for your own team.Bridge
YesStablecoin-linked Visa cards, issued with Stripe Issuing, rolling out by country.Announced, not yet live: Stablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countriesFinancing for your users
Mercury
NoNot offered to platforms.Bridge
NoNot offered.Consumer apps
Build for individuals, not just businesses, the way Bridge allows.
End users can be individuals
Mercury
NoMercury Personal is Mercury’s own consumer banking; you cannot build consumer products on it.Bridge
YesConsumer apps are a core use case: individual customers go through Bridge KYC.Consumer wallets or accounts
Mercury
NoNot offered to platforms.Bridge
YesCustodial wallets for customers.Consumer cards
Mercury
NoNot offered to platforms.Bridge
YesConsumer stablecoin card programs, currently in limited release.Announced, not yet live: Stablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countriesStablecoins
Dollar-backed tokens as a payment and treasury rail.
Accept stablecoins
Mercury
NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials.Bridge
YesReceive stablecoins to wallets or liquidation addresses and convert automatically.Hold stablecoin balances
Mercury
NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials.Bridge
YesCustodial wallets hold stablecoin balances.Pay out in stablecoins
Mercury
NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials.Bridge
YesSend stablecoins on major chains.Issue your own stablecoin
Mercury
NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials.Bridge
YesOpen Issuance lets a business launch its own branded stablecoin.Announced, not yet live: Bridge National Trust BankRegulatory risk in United States
Mercury
No stablecoin productsBridge
Low riskAI agents
Build with AI tools, and let AI agents shop and pay.
Official MCP server
Mercury
YesHosted MCP server in beta: AI assistants can read balances, transactions, cards and recipients, with OAuth sign-in.Bridge
Not confirmedNone found.Checkout for AI agents
Mercury
NoDoes not process checkout payments, so there is nothing for an agent to check out with.Bridge
Not confirmedNo agent checkout protocol support confirmed.Cards for AI agents
Mercury
Not confirmedNot found in public materials.Bridge
Not confirmedNot confirmed. Its parent Stripe offers agent cards and shared payment tokens.Working with them
How easy it is to get started.
Self-serve signup
Mercury
YesApply online.Bridge
PartlySandbox is self-serve; production access is reviewed.Published pricing
Mercury
YesFree core plan; paid plans are published.Bridge
NoPricing is not published.Public API and sandbox
Mercury
YesREST API for accounts, transactions, payments and invoicing, with webhooks and OAuth for partner apps.Bridge
YesAPI-first with a sandbox.Coming soon
Announced but not launched. These are plans, not products you can sign up for today: timing often slips, and some never ship.
Announced, not yet live
Mercury
Awaiting approvalMercury Bank, N.A.No date given · Includes United States
Details and sources →Bridge
Awaiting approvalBridge National Trust BankNo date given · Includes United States
AnnouncedStablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countriesExpected by the end of 2026
Details and sources →In short
Countries onboarded
Mercury
1 of 170Bridge
124 of 170Designed for
Mercury
US startups that want a fast, API-friendly bank account, including founders based outside the US.Bridge
Apps, including consumer apps, that want to hold, move or issue dollar stablecoins with fiat on and off ramps.Limitations
Mercury
Only for US-registered companies, and not designed for building products on top of.Bridge
Production access is reviewed case by case, and availability for end users depends on their country.| Mercury Business banking | Bridge Stablecoin infrastructure | |
|---|---|---|
| Onboards businesses in United States | Available | Available |
| Accept payments | Invoices your customers pay by card or ACH debit, also available through the API. | Not offered |
| Pay people abroad | Domestic ACH and wires, international wires, and API payments to saved recipients. | Off-ramps from stablecoins to bank accounts on local rails such as ACH, SEPA, SPEI and Pix. |
| Multi-currency account | US dollar checking and savings with FDIC insurance through partner banks, plus Treasury for idle cash. | Virtual accounts that give each customer fiat deposit details in USD, EUR, MXN, BRL, GBP or COP. |
| Business cards | Debit cards and the IO corporate credit card with spend controls. | Stablecoin-linked Visa cards, issued with Stripe Issuing, rolling out by country. |
| Stablecoins | Not offered | Wallets, orchestration across fiat and stablecoins, and Open Issuance to launch your own stablecoin. |
| Yield on idle cash | Mercury Treasury invests idle cash in government money market funds and, since August 2026, an ultra-short bond fund. It is not FDIC insured, may lose value, and carries a 0.15–0.60% fee. | Platforms that issue their own stablecoin through Bridge receive the interest earned on its reserves, minus issuance fees. Bridge’s closed-loop USDB coin also earns rewards inside Bridge. |
| Yield on idle cashA return on money you are not using. How safe it is depends on where the return comes from, not on how high the rate is. | ||
| Where the return comes from | Low risk, not insuredMoney market fundModerate riskShort-term bond fund | Moderate riskStablecoin reserve revenue |
| Is the money protected? | Money market fund: Not a deposit and not insured. The fund holds short-term government debt and aims to keep its value stable, but that is not guaranteed. Broker protection (SIPC in the US) covers the broker failing, not investment losses.Short-term bond fund: Not insured, and the price moves every day, so you can get back less than you put in. | For platforms issuing their own stablecoin: you earn the interest on the reserves behind it. Safety depends on those reserves, typically short-term US Treasuries and bank cash, and on the issuer. |
| Does the rate change? | Floats daily with central bank rates, so it falls when rates are cut. Moves with interest rates and bond prices.Last seen: Up to about 3.6% net, for the largest balances (May 2026) | Follows short-term Treasury rates, minus fees.Last seen: Follows short-term US Treasury rates, minus fees |
| FeesPublished prices only, with the date we read them. Many providers negotiate prices instead. | ||
| How pricing works | Mercury's core banking is $0 per month. Paid plans are Plus and Pro ($29.90 and $299 per month on annual billing; Mercury's FAQ says paid plans start at $35/month). ACH and domestic wires are free; USD international wires are free (or a flat $15 to send as OUR); non-USD international wires carry a 1% conversion fee; non-USD card transactions carry an international transaction fee (rate not stated on the page). | Bridge does not publish pricing. Its site offers a demo request and asks businesses to chat with its team; bridge.xyz/pricing returns 404. |
| Published prices | Base plan (US): $0 per monthPaid plans (US): Plus $29.90/month and Pro $299/month (annual-billing prices shown, 15% off); FAQ says paid plans start at $35/monthDomestic transfers (US): ACH, domestic wires and real-time payments freeInternational wires (US): USD international wires free (SHA; intermediary bank fees may be deducted from what the recipient gets), or a flat $15 to send as OUR so intermediary fees are charged to Mercury; 1% conversion fee on non-USD international wires (contact Mercury if exchanging over $200K)Card FX (US): International transaction fee on non-USD debit and credit card transactions (rate not stated on the pricing page) | Pricing (all): Not published: demo request / talk to the team |
| What you can sellFrom each provider’s acceptable use policy. “Restricted” means allowed only with approval or conditions, or banned for part of the category. | ||
| Software and digital goods | Not stated | Not stated |
| Crypto | RestrictedCrypto exchanges cannot open accounts. Mercury says it supports many other crypto and Web3 businesses (startups, DAOs, funds); accounts hold fiat only. | Not stated |
| Lending and financial services | RestrictedMoney services businesses cannot open accounts. Other financial services (e.g. funds) are not excluded. | Not allowedInvestment or credit services, check cashing, bail bonds, collections agencies and money services are on the Prohibited Activities List. |
| Gambling | Not allowedInternet gambling businesses cannot open accounts, and the Terms bar online gambling transactions even where legal. | Not stated |
| Adult content | Not allowedAdult entertainment businesses cannot open accounts. | Not allowedAdult content and services are on the Prohibited Activities List. |
| Dating | Not stated | Not stated |
| Firearms and weapons | Not allowedMercury's Web3 FAQ says it can't work with businesses that sell firearms, weapons or ammunition. This is not repeated on the eligibility article. | Not stated |
| Cannabis and CBD | Not allowedCannabis businesses cannot open accounts; the Web3 FAQ adds CBD and cannabis-derived products. | Not stated |
| Supplements | Not stated | Not stated |
| Pharmacy and telemedicine | Not stated | Not stated |
| Travel | Not stated | Not stated |
| Multi-level marketing | Not stated | Not allowedMulti-level marketing is on the Prohibited Activities List. |
| Free-trial subscriptions | Not stated | Not stated |
| Platform & marketplaceRun payments for other businesses: sign them up, take a cut, pay them out. | ||
| Sub-accounts for your users | NoMercury’s API manages your own accounts; there is no product for creating accounts for your users. | YesCreate customers, individuals or businesses, through the API, with Bridge running KYC and KYB. |
| Split payments and platform fees | NoNot a payment processor. | NoNot a card payment processor. |
| Embeddable UI | NoNo embeddable components. | PartlyHosted KYC links; everything else is API. |
| Pay out to your users | PartlyAPI payments to saved recipients by ACH or wire. Fine for paying vendors, not built for paying a platform’s users at scale. | YesOff-ramps from stablecoins to bank accounts on local rails, including through permanent liquidation addresses. |
| Embedded finance for your usersGive your users financial products under your brand. | ||
| Accounts that hold money | NoNot offered to platforms. | YesVirtual accounts: per-customer fiat deposit details in USD, EUR, MXN, BRL, GBP and COP that convert to stablecoins. |
| Cards for your users | NoCards are for your own team. | YesStablecoin-linked Visa cards, issued with Stripe Issuing, rolling out by country.Announced, not yet live: Stablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countries |
| Financing for your users | NoNot offered to platforms. | NoNot offered. |
| Consumer appsBuild for individuals, not just businesses, the way Bridge allows. | ||
| End users can be individuals | NoMercury Personal is Mercury’s own consumer banking; you cannot build consumer products on it. | YesConsumer apps are a core use case: individual customers go through Bridge KYC. |
| Consumer wallets or accounts | NoNot offered to platforms. | YesCustodial wallets for customers. |
| Consumer cards | NoNot offered to platforms. | YesConsumer stablecoin card programs, currently in limited release.Announced, not yet live: Stablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countries |
| StablecoinsDollar-backed tokens as a payment and treasury rail. | ||
| Accept stablecoins | NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials. | YesReceive stablecoins to wallets or liquidation addresses and convert automatically. |
| Hold stablecoin balances | NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials. | YesCustodial wallets hold stablecoin balances. |
| Pay out in stablecoins | NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials. | YesSend stablecoins on major chains. |
| Issue your own stablecoin | NoNo stablecoin product found in public materials. | YesOpen Issuance lets a business launch its own branded stablecoin.Announced, not yet live: Bridge National Trust Bank |
| Regulatory risk in United States | No stablecoin products | Low risk |
| AI agentsBuild with AI tools, and let AI agents shop and pay. | ||
| Official MCP server | YesHosted MCP server in beta: AI assistants can read balances, transactions, cards and recipients, with OAuth sign-in. | Not confirmedNone found. |
| Checkout for AI agents | NoDoes not process checkout payments, so there is nothing for an agent to check out with. | Not confirmedNo agent checkout protocol support confirmed. |
| Cards for AI agents | Not confirmedNot found in public materials. | Not confirmedNot confirmed. Its parent Stripe offers agent cards and shared payment tokens. |
| Working with themHow easy it is to get started. | ||
| Self-serve signup | YesApply online. | PartlySandbox is self-serve; production access is reviewed. |
| Published pricing | YesFree core plan; paid plans are published. | NoPricing is not published. |
| Public API and sandbox | YesREST API for accounts, transactions, payments and invoicing, with webhooks and OAuth for partner apps. | YesAPI-first with a sandbox. |
| Coming soonAnnounced but not launched. These are plans, not products you can sign up for today: timing often slips, and some never ship. | ||
| Announced, not yet live | Awaiting approvalMercury Bank, N.A.No date given · Includes United States Details and sources → | Awaiting approvalBridge National Trust BankNo date given · Includes United States AnnouncedStablecoin-linked Visa cards in 100+ countriesExpected by the end of 2026 Details and sources → |
| In short | ||
| Countries onboarded | 1 of 170 | 124 of 170 |
| Designed for | US startups that want a fast, API-friendly bank account, including founders based outside the US. | Apps, including consumer apps, that want to hold, move or issue dollar stablecoins with fiat on and off ramps. |
| Limitations | Only for US-registered companies, and not designed for building products on top of. | Production access is reviewed case by case, and availability for end users depends on their country. |
Common questions
Is Mercury or Bridge available in more countries?
Bridge. Of the 170 countries we track, Mercury onboards businesses in 1 and Bridge in 124 (and 21 more with limits). Both serve businesses in 1. Only Bridge: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands and 132 more.
What do Mercury and Bridge offer?
Accept payments: Mercury yes, Bridge no. Pay people abroad: Mercury yes, Bridge yes. Multi-currency account: Mercury yes, Bridge yes. Business cards: Mercury yes, Bridge yes. Stablecoins: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Yield on idle cash: Mercury yes, Bridge yes.
How do Mercury and Bridge differ for platforms and embedded finance?
Sub-accounts for your users: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Embeddable UI: Mercury no, Bridge partly. Pay out to your users: Mercury partly, Bridge yes. Accounts that hold money: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Cards for your users: Mercury no, Bridge yes. End users can be individuals: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Consumer wallets or accounts: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Consumer cards: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Accept stablecoins: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Hold stablecoin balances: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Pay out in stablecoins: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Issue your own stablecoin: Mercury no, Bridge yes. Official MCP server: Mercury yes, Bridge not confirmed. Checkout for AI agents: Mercury no, Bridge not confirmed.
Who is Mercury designed for?
US startups that want a fast, API-friendly bank account, including founders based outside the US. Limitations: Only for US-registered companies, and not designed for building products on top of.
Who is Bridge designed for?
Apps, including consumer apps, that want to hold, move or issue dollar stablecoins with fiat on and off ramps. Limitations: Production access is reviewed case by case, and availability for end users depends on their country.
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