Is a universal token the same as a network token?

No. A universal token is issued by the payment infrastructure and makes a stored credential usable with any connected provider. A network token is issued by a card scheme, replaces the card number in the transaction and is updated when the card is renewed. On NORBr, a universal token can point to a network token, so merchants get both benefits.

Two tokens, two issuers

A network token is issued by Visa or Mastercard for a card and a token requestor. It replaces the card number in authorizations, carries a cryptogram per transaction, and is updated by the scheme when the card is renewed or reissued. A universal token is issued by the payment infrastructure. It identifies a stored credential on the platform and makes it usable with any connected provider.

How they fit together

• The universal token is what the merchant's integration references.
• Behind it, the platform holds the network token, or a processor token, or the card data in its vault.
• When a payment is routed to a provider, the platform presents the credential that provider accepts.

Why both

Network tokens bring scheme benefits: lifecycle updates, higher approval rates, lower fraud. Universal tokens bring portability: the merchant never changes its token when the operator changes providers. On NORBr, a universal token can point to a network token, so merchants get lifecycle management from the scheme and provider independence from the platform. Neither alone gives both.