TC006431)
22902568475, 22502169688, 22502169689 & 22902465771)
16-01-01797), and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) payment registers to resolve audit and KYB inquiries regarding Instarem and Nium Limited.
When Hong Kong CPAs reconcile corporate bank statements or SMEs and expats fund transfers through Instarem, a recurring compliance question arises: Why is the Faster Payment System (FPS) payee and official regulatory receipt issued by Nium Limited rather than Instarem?
Through 86hc.com's statutory name-history verification at the Hong Kong Companies Registry, we confirm that Instarem Limited and Nium Limited are 100% the exact same Hong Kong legal entity (CR No. 2298943, BRN 65375987)[1][2]. Founded by Prajit Nanu and incorporated in Hong Kong on 23 October 2015 as Instarem Limited, the company obtained HK Customs MSO Licence No. 16-01-01797 in January 2016. On 16 October 2019, as the group expanded from consumer remittance into enterprise B2B embedded finance APIs and virtual card issuing, the Hong Kong corporation officially changed its statutory name to Nium Limited while continuing to operate Instarem as its consumer and SME remittance brand.
Part I: From "Instarem Limited" to "Nium Limited" — Dual-Brand Architecture & Temasek / GIC Backing
Co-founded by Prajit Nanu and Michael Bermingham, Nium has scaled into a US$1.4B+ global real-time payments unicorn co-headquartered in Singapore and San Francisco, backed by Temasek's Vertex Ventures, GIC, Riverwood Capital, Visa, and BRI Ventures[3][4]. Under a single Hong Kong legal entity (Nium Limited, CR No. 2298943, MSO 16-01-01797), the company operates two distinct commercial divisions:
| Dimension | Direct Remittance Brand: Instarem (instarem.com) | Enterprise B2B Infrastructure: Nium (nium.com) |
|---|---|---|
| HK Licensed Contracting Entity | 100% Operated by Nium Limited (CR No. 2298943 · BRN 65375987 · HK Customs MSO: 16-01-01797) | |
| Target Segment | Hong Kong expats, international students, individuals & cross-border SMEs | Tier-1 banks, FinTechs, global marketplaces, airlines/OTAs (via acquired Ixaris), and global payroll/EOR platforms |
| Core Capabilities | • Fast remittance to 60+ countries • InstaPoints loyalty fee discounts • Multi-currency Amaze Card ecosystem | • Real-Time Payouts API across 190+ countries (100+ in real time) • Visa/Mastercard Virtual Card Issuing for airlines, OTAs & B2B platforms |
Part II: Capital Injection Forensics — 4 Form NSC1 Share Allotments (2021–2022) & Kowloon Tong InnoCentre Hub
Following its US$200M+ Series D unicorn round in 2021 and its acquisition of London-based travel virtual card pioneer Ixaris, Nium injected substantial paid-up capital into Nium Limited via four Form NSC1 Return of Allotment filings and relocated its registered office and MSO premises to Room 517, 5/F, InnoCentre, 72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (where peer MSO Oceanpayment Co., Limited, CR 2277030, also operates at Unit 605C, 6/F)[1]:
| Filing Date | Form Code | Statutory Document Title & Capital / Governance Analysis | ICRIS Barcode | Pages / Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-22 | Form NSC1(Allotment #4) | Return of Allotment of Shares (Form NSC1) Fourth capital injection within 9 months expanding Hong Kong paid-up share capital (see Form NSC1 Guide). | 22902568475 | 4p · Inspect |
| 2022-03-10 | Form NSC1(Same-Day #1) | Return of Allotment of Shares (Form NSC1 · Consecutive Barcode #1) | 22502169688 | 4p · Inspect |
| 2022-03-10 | Form NSC1(Same-Day #2) | Return of Allotment of Shares (Form NSC1 · Consecutive Barcode to 22502169688) | 22502169689 | 4p · Inspect |
| 2021-12-03 | Form ND2B | Notice of Change of Company Secretary and Director Details (Form ND2B) | 23002095457 | 3p · Inspect |
| 2021-12-03 | AMEND | Revised Document / Statutory Instrument (Consecutive to 23002095457) | 23002095458 | 8p · Inspect |
| 2021-10-29 | Form NAR1 | Annual Return 2021 (Form NAR1) | 22702406610 | 8p · Inspect |
| 2021-10-05 | Form NR1 | Notice of Change of Registered Office Address (Relocation to Room 517, 5/F, InnoCentre) | 22802319679 | 1p · Inspect |
| 2021-10-04 | Form NSC1(Allotment #1) | Return of Allotment of Shares (Post-Series D Unicorn Capital Injection) | 22902465771 | 4p · Inspect |
Part III: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Official Citations
Q1: Are Instarem Limited and Nium Limited the same legal entity in Hong Kong?
Yes. Incorporated on 23 October 2015 as Instarem Limited and renamed on 16 October 2019 to Nium Limited, the company holds CR No. 2298943, BRN 65375987, and HK Customs MSO Licence No. 16-01-01797 at Room 517, 5/F, InnoCentre, 72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
Q2: How does Instarem compare with Wise in Hong Kong?
Instarem (operated by Nium Limited) is particularly competitive on Asia-Pacific and South Asian corridors (HKD to INR, AUD, SGD, MYR, PHP) with InstaPoints loyalty rebates, while Wise Payments Hong Kong Limited excels in multi-currency local account details (UK Sort Code, EUR IBAN) and Nium's enterprise division powers B2B API payouts and Ixaris travel virtual cards.
- Hong Kong Companies Registry (ICRIS): Statutory Register & 10 Filing Dossiers of Nium Limited (formerly
Instarem Limited, CR No.2298943, BRN65375987, Form NSC1 Barcodes22902568475,22502169688,22502169689,22902465771, Form NR122802319679). - Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department: MSO Register under Cap. 615 AMLO —
NIUM LIMITED, Licence No.16-01-01797. - Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) & Global Registers:
Nium Pte. Ltd.Major Payment Institution Register & UK FCA EMI Register (Ixaris). - Nium & Instarem Official Disclosures:www.nium.com ↗ & www.instarem.com/en-hk ↗.