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

# Metadata Inquiries

> Inquire card metadata from PAN or tokens

Request card metadata based on PAN, PCI tokens, or network tokens.

<Info>
  Metadata inquiries are an add-on feature and may be subject to extra charges.
</Info>

## Overview

Metadata inquiries allow you to retrieve information about the card and the issuing bank.
It is useful for various validation and routing scenarios.

## Supported Sources

You can request metadata from:

| Source          | Description                                                                |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `pan`           | Direct card number lookup (it does not even require a token to be present) |
| `pci_token`     | Metadata lookup using existing PCI tokens                                  |
| `network_token` | Metadata lookup using network tokens                                       |

## Use Cases

* **Card Display**: Show more details about the card in user interfaces
* **Validation**: Verify card details before processing
* **Routing**: Determine payment routing based on card metadata
* **Analytics**: Gather insights about card usage patterns