VMC
Verified Mark Certificate: a special certificate that proves a domain owns the logo it displays via BIMI in supported mail clients.
A VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) is a specialised X.509 certificate issued by a small set of authorities (DigiCert, Entrust) after the applicant proves trademark ownership of the logo through a registered trademark in a recognised jurisdiction. Gmail, Yahoo, and Apple Mail require a valid VMC before they will display a brand's BIMI logo in the inbox. Issuance is more involved than a standard TLS certificate, typically several weeks and a four-figure annual cost, which is why VMC adoption is concentrated in larger brands that benefit visibly from logo display.