payments en
Payment tokenization
payments
Also called: card tokenization
Plain-language definition
Plain-language definition
Replacing sensitive payment details with a limited-use substitute value.
Why it matters
It reduces where raw card data must travel or be stored, but tokens still require access controls.
Technical detail
Tokenization maps account data to a token whose usefulness is constrained by the token service, domain, merchant, device, or transaction context.
Examples
- A checkout stores a provider payment-method token instead of the card number.
Related terms
Sources and review
Reviewed July 12, 2026 by [email protected]. Next review due January 11, 2027.
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard — PCI Security Standards Council Accessed 7/11/2026
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