Payment tokenization technology and platform solutions
Secure payment transactions on all devices and for all use-cases for all your cardholders
Payment tokenization is a security process that replaces sensitive credit card numbers (PANs) with a unique, randomized string of characters called a token. Thales EMV tokenization applies this principle to digitise physical and virtual payment cards into unique digital identifier tokens - securing every transaction online, in-app or in-store, on any device.
The foundation of all digital payment experiences
Tokenization enables the most secure, seamless and convenient transactions on all devices for all cardholders
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Tokenization lifecycle
From token creation securing cards with a unique alternative PAN, to digitisation including end-user verification and provisioning to any device, our payment tokenization services manage the complete lifecycle of the tokens, backed by Thales D1 platform.
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Scheme-agnostic
We support international card networks such as Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover as well as domestic schemes in more than 65 countries.
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Digital wallets
From the major OEM wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) to merchants and wearables, we support all types of card provisioning. Converting your mobile banking app into a mobile payment wallet for all your cardholders is a no brainer, for both iOS and Android.
This same digital wallet experience extends to proximity NFC payments through our HCE Digital Wallets solution.
What is payment tokenization and how does it work?
Payment tokenization replaces a cardholder’s original data (the card number, expiry date and other card details) with a unique token that carries no exploitable value outside the transaction it was created for. When a customer initiates a transaction, their card data is sent to a token service provider, which generates the token; the merchant then stores and uses this token, rather than the actual card number, for authorization, while the sensitive information remains locked in the provider’s protected vault. By combining tokenization and encryption, this token services architecture keeps payment security intact at every point of sale and across every online channel.
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Tokenization vs. encryption
Although often mentioned together, tokenization and encryption protect data in fundamentally different ways. Encryption relies on an algorithm to transform card data into a reversible format that can be restored with the correct decryption key, meaning the sensitive information still exists within the system in a scrambled state.
Tokenization is inherently irreversible: it removes the original data from the environment entirely and replaces it with a randomly mapped token that holds no intrinsic or exploitable value. Pioneered in the early 2000s to secure stored client credentials against the rising threat of database breaches, tokenization ensures that even a compromised system exposes nothing usable to an attacker.
Payment token types and architectures
Choosing the right token solution depends on how a business handles transaction processing end to end, from a single online checkout to a global network of point-of-sale terminals.
New Forrester study commissioned by Thales
What does the future of payment tokenization look like? Drawing on insights from more than 500 senior decision makers, this Thought Leadership Paper explores how organizations are advancing payment tokenization and token management strategies. It reveals the gap between ambition and execution, highlighting the challenges organizations must overcome to unlock the full potential of tokenization. Discover what it takes to move toward a truly token-centric future and prepare for the next generation of secure digital and AI-driven payments.
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The Total Economic Impact™ of Thales Tokenization
As digital wallets, Click to Pay, payment passkeys and AI-driven commerce evolve, organisations are rethinking PAN-centric architectures in favor of token-centric infrastructures built for innovation at scale. Four Thales customers shared how they turned tokenization into a strategic business enabler, delivering measurable benefits while preparing for the next generation of payment experiences.
With a single integration, our D1 platform lets you deploy all tokenization use cases, from OEM wallets to Click to Pay and Payment Passkey, or transform your mobile banking app into an advanced payment wallet. Enhance and simplify digital payment experiences for your cardholders while reducing fraud and ensuring secure transactions on all devices and at points of sale.
Deploy all tokenization use cases in just a few months from a single cloud platform
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Are password-free, number-free payments the new standard for online checkout?
In this fireside chat, Mastercard and Thales discuss how issuers can move beyond passwords and card numbers to deliver secure, frictionless online payments, using technologies such as Click to Pay, passkeys, tokenization, and biometrics.
How tokenization secures payments as AI agents shop on our behalf
AI agents are entering the checkout flow, but how do payments remain secure? In this interview with PYMNTS, François Chaffard, VP Digital Payment Services at Thales, breaks down how tokenization safeguards agent-driven payment journeys, balancing automation, speed and trust in the era of agentic commerce.
Key Figures
#1 leader in physical & digital card services
Our customers’ success journeys
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