# Stored Payment Methods

Stored payment methods allow payers to reuse payment credentials across transactions.

All stored payment methods are backed by **NPS tokens**.

## Token‑Only Storage

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  The Profile Service never stores raw payment credentials — only tokens.

Stored methods may represent:

- Cards (PAN or network tokens)
- Wallet credentials
- ACH accounts


Only non‑PCI metadata (last four, brand, expiration) is stored.

## Ownership and Scope

A stored payment method is owned by:

- A **Person**, or
- An **Organization**


It may then be associated to one or more Accounts where that owner is a payer.

## Auto‑Pay Constraints

For automatic payments:

- Each Account may have **one active auto‑pay payment method**
- The payer must be explicitly authorized on the Account


This keeps responsibility and automation unambiguous.

## Lifecycle Management

Stored payment methods participate in **Payment Credential Lifecycle Management**.

- Underlying credentials may be updated automatically
- The client‑facing token does not change
- Update events may be emitted via notifications


## How Other Services Use Stored Methods

- Payments use tokens for transaction submission
- Billing and recurring services select eligible methods
- Invoices and widgets display masked details to payers
- Payment Widget allows additions, updates, and removal of payment methods and autopay contracts.


## Using Stored Payment Methods Without Billing

The Profile Service may be used as a standalone payment-method vault.

In this mode:

- Payment methods are owned by a Person or Organization
- No Account association is required
- Tokens may be retrieved and used directly with the Payments API
- The Payment Widget can manage payment methods without invoices or balances


This pattern is commonly used for:

- One-off payments
- Donations
- Account-less checkouts
- Partner-hosted payment experiences


## Summary

- Stored payment methods are token‑only
- Ownership and authorization are explicit
- Auto‑pay rules are enforced at the account level
- Lifecycle updates happen automatically