What Payment Association does

Association du Paiement is the leading professional association for the French payment services ecosystem, operating as a loi 1901 non-profit headquartered at 128 rue de la Boétie, Paris. It functions as the officially designated privileged interface between payment industry professionals and French regulators including GIE Cartes Bancaires, ACPR, and CNMP (Comité National des Moyens de Paiement), and convenes a membership of 70+ organizations spanning the full value chain: terminal manufacturers (Ingenico, Worldline, Verifone, CASTLES TECH), payment networks (CB, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, UnionPay), software publishers, banks (Euro Information / Crédit Mutuel), fintechs (Boonty, Fidecoin, Cipango), and aggregators.

The association's core technology is a suite of six proprietary protocol specifications sold as licensed documents: Protocole Caisse V3.20 (€950) governing exchanges between payment terminals and cash register software across IP, WiFi, Bluetooth, serial, and USB; Protocole CHPR (€450) for cheque tele-collection dialogue with check image processing centers; Protocole CHPN V4.0 (€450) for normalized check reader/publisher communication with FNCI consultation and cheque guarantee; Protocole CCEP (€950) for x509 certificate enrollment and PKI lifecycle management with IP acquisition systems; Protocole IPP (€950) for TCP/X.25 interconnection based on RFC 1086; and a Physical Security Best Practices document for IGC hosting (€950). Each protocol is delivered with source code examples in C++, C#, Java, and Android and protected by an IPC (Identifiant Personnel de Configuration) for copy control.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring membership dues from the 70+ member organizations, one-time protocol document licensing sold through a partnership with SYMOTRONIC, and event fees for General Assemblies, webinars, networking dinners, and cocktail events. Governance is exercised through a Bureau (President Thierry Grebet, Treasurer Xavier Sautel, Administrative Manager Maryse Togneri), a Délégué Général (Michel Gonzalez), and a 10-person Conseil d'Administration, with no parent company, external investors, or public funding structure disclosed.

Name

Payment Association

Legal name

Association du Paiement

Website

https://associationdupaiement.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Association du Paiement is the French non-profit professional association (loi 1901) for the payment services ecosystem, serving as the privileged regulatory interface with GIE Cartes Bancaires, ACPR, and CNMP. It maintains and licenses six standardized payment protocols (including Protocole Caisse) to 70+ member organizations across terminals, banks, and fintech.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Industry Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Payment protocol standards
• Professional association services
• Payment ecosystem advocacy
• Industry working groups
• Membership-based networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Mont-près-chambord

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Revenue generated from membership fees paid by payment ecosystem actors including fintechs, aggregators, terminal manufacturers, software publishers, and financial institutions.
2. Protocol document sales: Sale of standardized payment protocol documentation to developers and companies. Protocols are sold at fixed prices (€450-€950 per protocol) with personalized IPC assigned to each buyer for copy protection. Includes source code examples and self-evaluation forms.
3. Event fees: Revenue from paid events including general assemblies, webinars, networking dinners, and cocktail events. Pricing varies by event type and membership status (members often receive free or discounted access).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Association du Paiement is a French non-profit professional association that maintains and publishes standardized payment protocol specifications (Protocole Caisse, CHPR, CHPN, CCEP, IPP, and physical security best practices for IGC hosting) used across the French payment ecosystem. It operates a membership program for payment terminal manufacturers, software publishers, fintechs, aggregators, and financial institutions, and serves as the privileged industry interface with French regulators (GIE Cartes Bancaires, ACPR, CNMP). Commercial activities include protocol documentation sales (€450-€950 per protocol), paid events (general assemblies, networking dinners, webinars), and working group coordination.

Product overview

The Association du Paiement is a professional association for the French payment ecosystem that develops and maintains standardized protocols for payment terminals, cash registers, and check processing systems. The core product is a suite of six protocol specifications: Protocole Caisse (for POS-to-payment terminal communication), Protocole CHPN and CHPR (for check processing and FNCI consultation), Protocole CCEP (for certificate enrollment), Protocole IPP (for TCP/X.25 interconnection), and a physical security best practices document for PKI infrastructure. These protocols are sold as standardized documentation (priced at €450 or €950) and include source code examples in C++, C#, Java, and Android to facilitate implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Protocole Caisse V3.20 Normed protocol specification defining exchanges between card payment terminals (TPE) and cash register software across the French payment ecosystem. Supports serial RS232/USB and Ethernet TCP/IP connections, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth. Enables dematerialized receipts and integrates with major payment networks (CB, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, UnionPay, Diners Club). Sold as a documented specification with source code examples in C++, C#, Java, and Android.
• Protocole CHPR (Chèque Protocole Remettant) Protocol specification defining the dialogue between payment terminals and the cheque image tele-transmission center (CT). Covers cheque tele-collection, FNCI (Fichier National des Chèques Irréguliers) file consultation, and cheque guarantee functions. Sold as documented specification at €450.
• Protocole CHPN V4.0 (Chèque Protocole Normalisé) Protocol specification for cheque reader/publisher communication with a processing center via payment terminal. Enables FNCI file consultation and cheque guarantee. Version 4.0 adds CMC7 track field 43/44 modifications to support visual verification and combat fraud. Sold as documented specification at €450.
• Protocole CCEP (Concert Certificate Enrollment Protocol) Detailed specification for x509 certificate exchange protocol with IP acquisition systems. Enables secure certificate client installation on IP equipment from supplier PKI, automatic IP equipment assignment to clients, and clean flux management via whitelist for banks. Manages full certificate lifecycle in PKI infrastructure. Sold as documented specification at €950.
• Protocole Bonnes pratique sécurité physique IGC Physical security best practices document for IGC (Infrastructure à Gestion de Clés / Public Key Infrastructure) hosting. Helps terminal operators prepare for STCA (Sécurité des Transactions Cartographiques) certification. Based on ISO 27xxx standards and PAYCERT requirements. Sold as documented specification at €950.
• Protocole IPP Standard specification based on RFC 1086 defining interconnection between systems using TCP and X.25 ('ISO-TP0 bridge between TCP and X.25'). Application scope covers bidirectional interconnection, particularly IP to X.25 direction. Sold as documented specification at €950.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• GIE Cartes BancairescoreOthersThe association maintains a privileged interface relationship with GIE Cartes Bancaires (the Groupement d'Intérêt Économique governing the CB payment card scheme), positioning itself as the key intermediary between the payment profession and the card network operator.
• ACPR (Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution)coreOthersThe association serves as the privileged interface of the payment profession with the ACPR, the French banking and insurance regulator, for regulatory matters related to payment services.
• CNMP (Comité National des Moyens de Paiement)coreOthersThe association maintains an interface with CNMP (National Committee for Payment Methods), participating in strategic reflections on the future of the profession.
• SYMOTRONICmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSYMOTRONIC handles billing and distribution of protocol documents for the Association du Paiement. They manage the contract process, IPC generation, and email delivery of personalized protocol documents with source code examples.
• CB (Cartes Bancaires)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCB (Cartes Bancaires) is a member and sponsor of the Association du Paiement. CB acts as both a member organization and sponsor of association events including the 2023 and 2025 General Assemblies.
• Euro InformationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuro Information (subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel-CIC group) is a member of the Association du Paiement and has sponsored the 2025 General Assembly.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• European Payments Initiative (EPI): European payments scheme initiative backed by major banks to create a unified European payment solution. EPI competes with the kind of national protocol and scheme governance that AP currently mediates between French actors and GIE Cartes Bancaires.
• ATM Industry Association (ATMIA): Global non-profit trade association serving the ATM industry. ATMIA is comparable to AP as a payment-channel-specific industry body that represents member interests with regulators and develops operational best practices.

Broad incumbents

• GSMA: Global mobile industry organization representing mobile network operators. GSMA is analogous to AP in operating as a standards-and-advocacy association for a specific industry vertical (mobile), with working groups, member services, and direct regulatory engagement.
• PCI Security Standards Council: Global standards body governing PCI DSS, PTS, and P2PE for payment security. Comparable to AP's role in setting and maintaining payment-related technical specifications, though at a global rather than national level.

Direct peers

• European Payments Council (EPC): The pan-European standards body for payments (SEPA, SCT Inst, SRTP). EPC is the direct analogue to Association du Paiement at the European level, defining payment standards and representing the industry with regulators — the same role AP plays for France.
• NACHA (The Electronic Payments Association): US-based association operating the ACH Network and developing payment standards. NACHA is AP's closest US counterpart in role — managing payment infrastructure rules, advocating with regulators, and providing educational and member services to payment actors.
• UK Finance: UK trade association representing the banking and finance industry, including payments. UK Finance combines standards representation, industry advocacy, and member services — a model closely aligned with AP's mandate for the French payment ecosystem.
• Smart Payment Association (SPA): International industry association representing card and mobile payment technology manufacturers and vendors. SPA shares AP's mission of advancing payment technology standards and representing the supply side of the payment ecosystem with regulators and stakeholders.

Regional players

• Pay.UK: UK retail payments standards and infrastructure operator (formerly the Payments Council). Comparable to AP as a national-level organization defining payment standards, operating retail payment schemes (Faster Payments, Bacs), and serving as the industry interface with UK regulators.
• Bundesverband deutscher Banken (BdB): German banking industry association representing member banks on payments, regulation, and standards. Comparable to AP as a national industry body that represents financial actors with domestic regulators and develops or endorses industry standards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xlinkedin.com/company/associationdupaiement
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AssociationPaiement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associationdupaiement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Payment Association