Tokenization is synonymous with ease and security, as it is an effective system for protecting sensitive card data when making online payments.

Indeed, in an ecosystem where digital payments continue to grow, protecting your customers' card data is essential.

Moreover, as we will see later, tokenization improves customer usability during payment, reducing friction and increasing conversion.

What is a token in the online payments sector?

In online payments, a token is an identifier that replaces the real card number (known as the PAN, or Primary Account Number). Instead of storing or reusing that sensitive number directly, a token is generated to act as a secure reference.

This process is called tokenization. Unlike encryption, which transforms data but can be reversed with a key, tokenization replaces the PAN with a unique value that cannot be decrypted or reconstructed. The idea is simple: keep the real card data from circulating or being stored more than strictly necessary.

At Zru, this type of tokenization is applied immediately after the customer enters their card details. The resulting token can be used later to initiate new charges—like in a subscription or a repeat purchase—without needing to capture the payment details again. That way, the merchant never stores sensitive data, and the customer experience stays smooth and secure.

How is a token used during an online purchase?

When a customer enters their card details to pay on a website, that information is securely captured by the provider handling the payment. In platforms like Zru, those details are tokenized immediately—that is, a unique identifier is generated to replace the real card number (the PAN).

That token is stored within Zru’s systems and is not used directly in the transaction. Instead, it acts as a secure reference so the merchant can later request another charge—for instance, in a monthly subscription or a repeat purchase—without asking the customer to re-enter their card.

When the time comes to process the payment, Zru retrieves the original PAN linked to the token (always within secure and PCI-compliant environments) and sends it to the PSP, which then processes the transaction through the card network.

This system keeps merchants from having to store sensitive data, reduces the risk of exposure to fraud, and maintains a smooth user experience.

What are the advantages of tokenizing cards?

As we've seen, for any business that accepts online card payments—like an eCommerce site or a marketplace—tokenization is a safe way to operate, because there’s no need to store the actual card data. Instead, a token is stored: an identifier that can’t be reversed and can be used for future charges.

Besides boosting security, tokenization reduces the scope of PCI DSS compliance, which can simplify and lower the cost of certification for merchants.

Let’s break down some of the key advantages:

• Increased security
  Because tokens can’t be reversed or deciphered, even if someone were to access a token, they couldn’t use it to make fraudulent purchases. That’s how the real card data stays protected.

• Better checkout experience
  Customers can pay in fewer steps. They don’t have to re-enter their card details, which improves conversion and reduces friction at checkout.

• Simpler PCI DSS compliance
  By limiting the parts of the system that handle sensitive data, merchants reduce the scope of PCI certification—and with it, the complexity of compliance.

What solutions does a platform like Zru offer to an online merchant?

A platform like Zru lets you work with recurring payments or stored cards without having to store the real card data. Each time a customer enters their card, we generate a secure token that represents it—and that you can reuse later for different use cases.

For example, if you offer a subscription model, you can charge automatically each billing cycle without requesting the card again. If you just need to authorize a card for future payments, that’s also possible without friction: the customer pays once, and you have a token ready for the next charges.

All of this is managed from a single platform—simple, secure, and aligned with industry standards.

And what if the card expires or is replaced? That’s exactly what network tokens are for. You can also activate them through Zru and keep charging without interruption, without asking the customer to re-enter their details.
Want to know more? Check out this post: “Network token: what it is, how it works, and why it improves your payments.”