Card Network Licensing
Open architecture, commercial implementation, and licensed documentation
Commercial Documentation 8 August 2026
Overview
Card Network separates the public architecture contract from commercial implementation, hosted services, support, and licensed documentation. This lets teams evaluate the open architecture while product-specific operating material remains part of the commercial system.
Status of This Document
This page explains the documentation and licensing boundary. It is not a software license, legal agreement, service order, or substitute for signed commercial terms. Exact terms are provided with the applicable Card Network offering.
1. Open Architecture
The open architecture publication belongs on cardnetwork.org. Once its governing publication gate is cleared, that surface is intended to hold stable specifications, approved public artifacts, conformance material, version history, and public reference links.
Principle. A reader should be able to understand the public interoperability contract without purchasing a hosted service or receiving private documentation.
2. Commercial Implementation
Commercial Card Network offerings can provide implementation, hosting, integration, administration, support, and product capabilities around the open architecture. Those services can evolve independently as long as compatibility claims identify the public architecture version they implement.
3. Licensed Documentation
Licensed customers and partners may receive implementation documentation that is not part of the open architecture publication. This can cover product-specific setup, administration, deployment, integration, operations, troubleshooting, and support.
4. Versions and Compatibility
Commercial documentation should identify both the Card Network architecture version it implements and the product release it describes. Product releases and architecture versions can evolve on independent schedules.
5. Access
Public developer documentation remains readable without a commercial documentation entitlement. Protected implementation documentation is available only to authenticated identities whose Card Network account is entitled to the applicable product or license.