# Key Concepts and Terminology This section introduces core concepts and components used throughout this Hyp CreditGuard documentation. These definitions will help you understand how merchants, systems, and users interact with the platform. ## Merchant A *merchant* is a business or individual that sells goods or services and integrates with Hyp CreditGuard to accept payments online. Each merchant is uniquely identified in the system and is associated with one or more *terminals* used to process transactions. ## Terminal Despite their origin in the physical world, *terminals* in e-commerce refer to logical units that process payments. Each terminal represents a unique configuration used to handle transactions, and it's identified by a terminal number provided by Hyp. Terminals determine things like currency, transaction flow type, and which acquirer to use. ## Merchant website A *merchant website* is the publicly accessible online storefront operated by the merchant, through which customers can browse products or services, place orders, and proceed to checkout. This website integrates with Hyp CreditGuard’s API and hosted payment pages to complete payment transactions securely. ## Payment gateway A *payment gateway* is the bridge between a merchant website and the financial networks that process credit card payments. Hyp CreditGuard acts as a payment gateway by securely capturing payment data, validating transactions, and forwarding them to the appropriate acquiring bank. ## Payment page The *payment page* hosted by Hyp CreditGuard is a secure, PCI DSS-compliant environment where customers enter their card details. Merchants redirect the customer to this page as part of the checkout flow. Once the payment is completed or fails, the customer is redirected back to a merchant-defined success or error URL. For more information, see [Integrating Hyp’s Payment Page and Accepting Payment](/payment-page-integration/integrating-hyps-payment-page-and-accepting-payment.md). ## API access API access to Hyp CreditGuard requires a combination of *username*, *password*, *terminal number*, and *merchant ID*. As a merchant, you obtain these credentials when you [register](/introduction/prerequisites-and-requirements.md) with Hyp CreditGuard. ## Tokenization *Tokenization* is a security mechanism where sensitive card data is replaced with a *token* — a unique, non-sensitive value that can be used in place of actual card details. Hyp CreditGuard supports tokenization to enable merchants to store and reuse payment information, such as for recurring payments, in a PCI DSS compliant manner. For more information, see [Tokenization](/additional-payment-scenarios/tokenization.md). ## Issuer The *issuer*, also known as the *issuing bank*, is the financial institution (typically a bank) that provides credit or debit cards to customers. The issuer approves or declines transactions based on available funds, credit limits, or fraud checks. ## Acquirer An *acquirer* (also known as the *acquiring bank*) is a financial institution responsible for processing and settling merchant transactions, transferring funds from the customer’s account to the merchant’s account. The acquirer is defined by the merchant's acquiring agreement and terminal configuration. ## Transaction A *transaction* (also referred to as *card transaction*, *payment card transaction*, or *payment transaction*) is the complete sequence of processing a payment attempt initiated by a customer using a payment card. It includes all the steps required to validate and process a payment using a credit or debit card. These steps include *authorization* and *capture*. ## Authorization *Authorization* is the first step of a card payment transaction. It verifies that sufficient funds or credit is available for a transaction. ## Capture *Capture* is the second step of a card payment transaction. It finalizes the transaction and actually transfers the funds from the customer to the merchant. ## 3-D Secure (3DS) *3-D Secure* is an additional security protocol (like Verified by Visa or Mastercard SecureCode) designed to authenticate cardholders during online transactions and reduce fraud. For more information, see [Introduction to 3-D Secure (3DS)](/3-d-secure-integration/introduction-to-3ds.md). --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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