Network Tokens
Network tokens:
don't lose payments you've already earned
Every expired or reissued card is a failed payment waiting to happen. Network tokens keep payment details constantly up to date, without manual intervention and without interruptions.
THE PROBLEM
The card number expires. The token does not.
When a customer renews their card, changes banks, or receives a new one due to theft, the number changes. If your payments are tied to that number, you end up with failed payments that no one detects, especially in recurring charges and subscriptions.
01
Involuntary churn
Subscriptions that fail silently when the card changes. The customer does not cancel, the payment simply stops going through.
02
Attack surface
A card number exposed across multiple systems is an active risk. Without tokenization, that risk travels with every transaction.
03
No tokens tied to the PSP
If you change processors, tokens do not migrate. You have to re-tokenize or lose the saved payment data.
1 of 3
global online payments are already processed with network tokens
global network data 2025.
TOKENIZATION IN SUBSCRIPTIONS
In subscriptions and recurring billing, the biggest risk is a failed payment because the card changed and nobody knows. With network tokens, that problem disappears before it even happens.
Without Network Tokens
The stored PAN is no longer valid. The payment is declined. The subscription is canceled without anyone requesting it.
Involuntary churn
With Network Tokens
The issuer notifies the network of the change. The token is automatically updated. The payment goes through without interruption, and the customer does not need to do anything.
Payment completed
BENEFITS
Security, conversion, and control. Without changing processors
Network tokens are not just a security improvement, they are also a lever for conversion, operational resilience, and cost reduction.
More payments approved by the issuer
The token carries additional context to the issuer in each transaction. This reduces unjustified declines and improves the authorization rate.
The card number is never transmitted
The PAN is neither stored nor transmitted. The token is merchant-specific and cannot be used outside of your platform.
A centralized vault, independent of the PSP
All your tokens in a single repository under your control. Switch processors without re-tokenizing or losing historical data.
One-click checkout that always works
The customer saves their card once. The token keeps that payment active even if the card changes, without asking them to update anything.
HOW IT WORKS
From card number to network token
Zru requests the token directly from Visa or Mastercard and manages it centrally. The process occurs in the background, without the buyer noticing.
01
Card network
The card number is securely sent to the brand.
02
Issuing bank
The issuing bank validates and authorizes the card tokenization
03
Card network
The network generates the payment token and a unique cryptogram for the transaction
04
Zru
The token replaces the PAN in all future transactions
