Card Capabilities & Configurations
Capability Matrix: Clear breakdown of features across Business vs. Consumer and Physical vs. Virtual cards (ATM access, Apple/Google Pay, Contactless, Online payments, varying limits, and KYC rules).
Understanding Card Products: Deep dive into cardType vs. cardProduct. What does the cardProduct value actually govern (BIN, Scheme, default limits, MCC restrictions)?
When integrating the Card Issuing API BaaS partner needs to understand the two primary axes of configuration: the physical form factor (cardType) and the business configuration (cardProduct).
2.1 Supported card types (Physical vs. Virtual)
Cards can be issued in two formats. The capabilities of each format determine the required API payload and the user experience:
| Feature/Requirement | Virtual Cards | Physical Cards |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use Case | E-commerce, subscriptions, Apple/Google Pay | POS terminals, ATM withdrawals, offline payments |
| Delivery Address Required? | No | Yes (Must be validated in the API payload, has Limited country list) |
| Activation Step Required? | No (Active upon successful creation) | Yes (Requires activation endpoint call, after confirmed receival) |
| PIN Management | Not supported | Supported |
| Time to Issue | Instant | 5-7 business days for production and delivery |
2.2 Understanding cardProduct (Card Programs)
The cardProduct parameter defines the specific card program the user is being enrolled in. This controls the underlying BIN (Bank Identification Number), default limits, scheme (e.g., Visa), and target audience (Business vs. Personal).
Operating Multiple Programs:
As a BaaS partner, you are not limited to a single card product. You can operate multiple dedicated card programs simultaneously in Production (e.g., offering both a standard “Personal” debit card and a premium “Business” card).
Developer Tip: You must dynamically map your internal user types to the correct cardProduct string provided by your ConnectPay implementation manager before calling the Create Card endpoint.
Supported Standard cardProducts:
Connectpay Native Business and Personal card programs
(primary used for direct customers onboarding through Connect Pay online banking platform, but also available with BaaS API)
- Defined Bin Range
- Defined ConnectPay Branding
- Defined Card Limits
WhiteLabel (Custom) Business or Personal card program
- Custom Bin Range
- Custom Card Design
- Custom Card Limits
2.3 Stage vs. Production Environments
To facilitate testing, the Stage environment utilizes mock cardProduct values.
Sandbox and Prod Values: Use ConnectPayBusiness (for corporate entities) and ConnectPayDebit (for private individuals). These will remain if the same programs are selected for Production utilization. Please note, that program names are validated by each customer.
In case of WhiteLabel (Custom) Business or Personal – dedicated cardProduct values are created and Assigned to the customer. These will be the same for sandbox and production systems.