scope:

This document specifies a common interface by which financial-transaction-card-originated messages can be interchanged between acquirers and card issuers.

It specifies message structure and format, including normalized data types. Message, field, value definitions and supporting information are provided by the ISO 8583 maintenance agency (MA). 

The method by which messages are transported or settlement takes place is not within the scope of this document.

NOTE With the proliferation of technology available to financial institutions to offer services to customers, a range of tokens now exist for identifying account relationships (e.g. financial transaction cards). In order to maintain clarity, this document will continue to use card terminology that applies to tokens and cards, unless the element is specific to tokens or cards, in which case it will be identified as such. However, the actual token numeric issued by a financial institution can be different from the associated card numeric.