A secure payment gateway is a secure e-commerce application service provider service that authorizes payments for e-businesses, online retailers, bricks-and-clicks, or traditional brick and mortar. It is the equivalent of a physical point-of-sale terminal located in a retail outlet. Secure payment gateways protect credit card details by encrypting sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to ensure that information is transmitted securely between the customer and the merchant and also between the merchant and the payment processor.