Payment card industry (PCI)

The payment card industry (PCI) is the financial industry segment that encompasses all entities involved in storing, processing, and transmitting cardholder data. This includes card issuers, banks, merchants, and service providers. 

The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) is the governing body that oversees the standards that help organizations protect sensitive cardholder information and maintain secure payment systems.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of rules and requirements designed to protect sensitive customer information. 

Any organization (regardless of its size or industry) that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data must comply with PCI DSS to ensure the security and confidentiality of that information.

Businesses can reduce their PCI DSS scope by using third-party services to minimize the direct handling of sensitive payment card information. For example, OTAs integrate with payment gateways and tokenization tools to delegate payment card transactions.