Overview
Enable a single payment application to support a broad range of merchant-selected PCI-PTS terminals — without requiring custom integration work per device or vendor.
Who it’s for: ISVs, Acquirers, Embedded Payments Teams, Payment Application Platforms
Value: Give merchants the freedom to choose their hardware — without increasing development scope or certification overhead and support a wide range of PCI-PTS terminals through a single integration to your payment application.
Rather than maintaining multiple terminal-specific SDKs or recertifying L2 stacks, Switcloud provides:
- A universal L2 connector API that interfaces with supported terminal stacks
- An on-device SDK that auto-detects and connects to the terminal’s L2 logic
- A standardized path to add new terminal support via connector extensions — without modifying the core application
Impact:
- Increase merchant satisfaction by supporting preferred terminals
- Reduce integration costs and certification timelines
- Expand geographically with broader hardware compatibility
- Maintain velocity of product development by decoupling terminal integration from application logic
The Challenge
Supporting merchant-preferred terminals often requires terminal-specific SDKs, L2 certifications, or coordination with OEMs — introducing significant development effort and limiting deployment flexibility. For platforms that operate across diverse merchant environments, this fragmentation leads to:
- Redundant integrations and inconsistent app logic across terminals
- Long onboarding cycles for new hardware
- Inability to scale into new geographies or merchant segments quickly
- Increased support and QA overhead for terminal-specific variations
How Switcloud Helps
Switcloud introduces a consistent EMV L2 connector layer, allowing a single application integration to support any terminal with a compatible L2 stack — without modifying the L3 application:
- Universal Connector API enables the Switcloud SDK to interface with a growing list of supported EMV L2 stacks.
- ‘Bring Your Own Terminal’ Support: If a new terminal isn’t supported, Switstack provides a standardized connector spec and development workflow to add support for that L2 stack.
- No new logic or configuration is required in the payment application when terminals change.
Why This Matters
Single Integration for Multiple Terminals
Maintain one L3 application that operates across a diverse merchant fleet without rewriting logic or managing hardware variations.
Faster Terminal Onboarding
Eliminate months of integration work when supporting a new terminal — connect through Switcloud’s L2 connector layer.
Terminal Flexibility Without Rework
Support merchant preferences and varied regional hardware availability without altering your core app.
Simplified Maintenance
Consistent architecture reduces QA surface and regression risk when expanding terminal support.
