> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dev.moonpay.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Core concepts

> Key terms and concepts for integrating with the MoonPay Platform

## Connections

An active **connection** represents a customer's permission to associate the MoonPay account to your application so you can:

* List and manage payment methods in your UI
* Get quotes that include detailed fees and customer limits
* Execute payments (for example, Apple Pay or debit cards) without redirecting the customer
* View and track transaction history

<Callout icon="book" iconType="regular">
  Read the [connect a customer guide](/platform/guides/connect-a-customer) for
  implementation details.
</Callout>

## Frames

The integration uses a combination of API calls and frames. For steps that have compliance or regulatory requirements, you render an embedded frame (a WebView in mobile apps and an iframe on the web). This keeps sensitive data out of your application while MoonPay manages compliance.

There are two types of frames: **co-branded** and **headless**. Both communicate with your app using `postMessage` (on web and mobile). Each frame has its own lifecycle events and message patterns, documented in the [frames overview](/platform/frames/overview). You can manage frames yourself, or use the SDK for drop-in frame setup and event handling.

### Co-branded frames

Co-branded frames render MoonPay-hosted UI that you can theme to match your application. They are designed for contextual rendering in modals or sheets. A typical example is the MoonPay login flow used when a customer connects their account.

<Frame caption="Co-branded connect flow">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/moonpay/Kzio-7fxRExSXZf_/images/platform/co-branded-frame-example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Kzio-7fxRExSXZf_&q=85&s=157df8e1d7fdec095a76811d312af18e" alt="MoonPay headless integration co-branded frame" style={{ width: "320px", height: "auto" }} width="786" height="1704" data-path="images/platform/co-branded-frame-example.png" />
</Frame>

### Headless frames

Headless frames are either invisible or display minimal, non-customizable elements such as an Apple Pay button. You can inline these frames wherever needed in your UI.

<Frame caption="Headless Apple Pay frame">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/moonpay/Kzio-7fxRExSXZf_/images/platform/headless-frame-example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Kzio-7fxRExSXZf_&q=85&s=424b0c4434af21613ef8fdcbbd680191" alt="MoonPay headless integration frame" style={{ width: "320px", height: "auto" }} width="786" height="1704" data-path="images/platform/headless-frame-example.png" />
</Frame>

## Challenges

Challenges complete specific tasks that require upgraded authentication, identity verification, or connection updates. Common cases include:

* Authentication upgrades (required for sensitive or destructive actions)
* Identity verification (Know Your Customer, KYC)
* Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), such as [3D Secure](https://www.checkout.com/products/authentication-3ds), where the customer’s bank requires additional verification

Today, challenges are surfaced by frames — the [Apple Pay](/platform/frames/apple-pay), [Google Pay](/platform/frames/google-pay), and [buy](/platform/frames/buy) frames emit a `challenge` event with a URL to load into the dedicated [Challenge frame](/platform/frames/challenge). See [Handle challenges](/platform/guides/handling-challenges) for the full flow.

## Customer

A customer is a person using your app who can have a connected MoonPay account.

### KYC

When opening an account, MoonPay performs Know Your Customer (KYC) checks to meet financial compliance requirements and help prevent fraud and money laundering. By default, this happens in a themeable co-branded frame.

<Callout icon="arrow-left-arrow-right" iconType="regular">
  <h4>
    KYC Sharing

    <Badge size="xs" color="purple" className="px-2 ml-1" shape="pill">
      Coming soon!
    </Badge>
  </h4>

  If you already capture KYC information using a provider like SumSub or Persona,
  you can use their sharing capabilities to simplify onboarding. You can
  also share MoonPay-verified KYC data with other services in your app, like
  setting up a debit card.
</Callout>

## Quotes

Quotes provide real-time prices and fees for fiat-to-crypto purchases.

Every quote response carries an `executable` boolean:

* `executable: true` — the quote can be used to execute a transaction.
* `executable: false` — use the quote for cost estimation only.

<Callout icon="book" iconType="regular">
  See the [quotes API reference](/api-reference/platform/endpoints/quotes/get)
  for the request fields required to receive `executable: true`.
</Callout>