The C-TAP v10.0 specifications were released in spring 2012 and successfully deployed by the Acquiris members. Since that date terminal vendors supply C-TAP v10.0 equipment that can connect to the acquiring infrastructure of at least 17 acquirers and acquiring processors to accept more than 30 card brands.

To align with the evolving acquiring market demand and the scheme rules, a number of functions were added or adjusted to the initial 2012 specifications. This mainly was operated by specification update bulletins.

It was decided in 2015 to consolidate these changes in a new version – the C-TAP v10.1 – to guarantee internal consistency and to trust the optional implementation of these specification updates to a more comprehensive and transparent version management. This version was prepared and reviewed in 2015 and early 2016 by our members.

The final version of the C-TAP v10.1 has been approved by the Acquiris Board on 29 June 2016. This board also decided that C-TAP v10.1 will be deployed by the end of April 2017.

This means that:

• By that date all acquiring host systems shall be able to support C-TAP v10.1 in parallel with the present C-TAP v10.0.
• After that date only terminals conforming to the C-TAP v10.1 specifications can be submitted for certification.

This release confirms the ability of the Acquiris association and its members to broaden the coverage of specifications and keep the alignment with the supported scheme rules while also guaranteeing the essential interoperability of versions that is critical in the card transaction processing industry.