{"id":17380,"date":"2026-07-22T13:33:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T11:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paynopain.com\/?post_type=glosario&p=17380"},"modified":"2026-07-22T13:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T11:34:19","slug":"card-networks","status":"publish","type":"glosario","link":"https:\/\/paynopain.com\/en\/glossary\/card-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"Card networks"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>What are card networks?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Card networks<\/b> are the systems that enable a credit or debit card <\/span>transaction<\/span><\/a> to be authorized, processed, and completed between the cardholder, the merchant, and the financial institutions involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a payment transaction, whether through a <\/span>physical POS terminal, a virtual POS, or an <\/b>online payment gateway<\/b><\/a>, these networks act as intermediaries that coordinate communication between the customer’s <\/span>issuing bank<\/b><\/a> and the merchant’s <\/span>acquiring bank<\/b><\/a> to process card payments quickly and securely.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Types of card networks<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Open networks<\/b><\/h3>\n

Open networks allow other financial institutions to issue cards under their brand. These networks function exclusively as processing infrastructure, leaving card issuance to third parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two most important open card networks worldwide are <\/span>Visa and Mastercard. <\/b>PaynoPain is a principal member of both<\/b><\/a>, increasing our autonomy, strengthening our brand, and enhancing our competitiveness within the global payments ecosystem.<\/span><\/p>\n

Closed networks<\/b><\/h3>\n

In closed networks, the same company that provides the network also <\/span>issues the cards<\/b> directly to customers and, in many cases, acts as the acquirer as well. This means the network manages both card issuance and payment processing, as is the case with <\/span>American Express.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/span>How do card networks work in a transaction?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n