Traditionally, card network access was a middleman game. To reach Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, you had to use a Payment Service Provider (PSP).
Now, merchants and fintechs are realizing that tethering their data to a single processor creates vendor lock-in. To break free, they need an independent vault. Yet, most independent vaults are just storage boxes.
VGS has become the only agnostic vault and orchestrator that maintains direct connections to all four major card networks for network tokens, enabling control to return to merchants, fintechs, and all VGS clients.
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Eliminating Processor Lock-in with Non-PSP Tokenization
A big risk in modern fintech is vendor lock-in. When you use a processor's internal vault, your tokens are bound to that specific provider.
By utilizing a PCI-compliant, card-agnostic vault, like VGS, you maintain ownership of your data. Because VGS is a PSP-neutral data vault, you can generate Network Tokens that are portable. This allows you to route transactions to any global processor of your choice, Stripe, Adyen, or Checkout.com, without ever needing to re-onboard your customers' card details.
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The Technical Advantage
While many vault providers and orchestrators claim connectivity, most rely on third-party aggregators for data. VGS's direct integration across all four networks provides a distinct technical advantage:
- Unified Account Updater: Automatically refresh expired or replaced cards across all four brands from a single API endpoint.
- Global Network Tokenization: Access the enhanced security and lower interchange fees associated with network-certified tokens.
- Real-time Lifecycle Management: Instantly detect when a user upgrades from a standard card to a premium tier, allowing for better customer segmentation.
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Improving Latency and Middleman Friction
When your network token provider relies on indirect connections, requests are routed through intermediaries before reaching the card networks. Each additional hop introduces avoidable milliseconds of latency and increases the risk of delays during critical transaction moments.
VGS eliminates these extra steps with direct connections to the networks. The result is faster API response times, more predictable performance, and quicker end-to-end transaction processing. This keeps checkout flows smooth and responsive when every millisecond counts.
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Future-Proofing for Agentic Commerce
As we move into 2026, the rise of Agentic Commerce means network tokens are foundational. When AI agents initiate and complete transactions on behalf of consumers, payments must be instant, resilient, and continuously authenticated. In this model, payments must be fast, reliable, and continuously authenticated without human intervention. That's where direct integrations with the card networks, along with programs like Visa Intelligent Commerce and Mastercard Agent Pay, become critical.
VGS's Tier 1 network status and direct connections ensure that your token infrastructure is already aligned with emerging frameworks. Instead of retrofitting your stack to support agent-driven transactions, you're equipped from the start with low-latency token provisioning, lifecycle management, and real-time authorization. As network tokens evolve from a security enhancement to a core enabler of autonomous commerce, having a provider deeply integrated with the networks ensures you're ready for what's next.
Conclusion: Direct Connections Improve Latency
Direct connections aren't just a technical advantage; they're essential for reducing latency and ensuring consistent performance for network tokens. When your provider maintains direct integrations with the card networks, you eliminate unnecessary hops, speed up transaction processing, and improve reliability.
Choosing a network token provider with these direct connections means faster response times, fewer points of failure, and a smoother experience for both you and your customers.
Learn More About Network TokensStart Owning Your Payments Strategy and Data.
VGS is the only non-PSP vault with direct connections to all four major card networks for network tokens. You get total routing flexibility, lower interchange fees, and higher authorization rates, all without the vendor lock-in.
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