GlobalPlatform (formerly Visa OpenPlatform) is a non profit industry consortium for technical standards focused on the interoperability, management and security of embedded hardware such as smart cards.
[1] The GlobalPlatform specifications are the de facto standard for remote management of smart card applications.
[3] Membership tiers include full member, observer and public entities with fees based on the level of involvement.
[4] In recent years, GlobalPlatform has expanded its scope beyond physical smart cards to include other technologies or form factors that require a secure element.
For example, they form part of the ETSI/3GPP standards that define how SIM cards are used to authenticate users on mobile networks.