Visa has issued more than 12.6 billion network tokens as the payments company continues expanding its tokenization strategy, replacing traditional card credentials with device-specific digital tokens designed to improve payment security and transaction performance.
The company said the milestone reflects the growing adoption of tokenized payments across connected devices, with network tokens increasingly replacing the conventional 16-digit card number during digital transactions. Instead of exposing a card’s primary account number, the system generates a unique token that is linked to a specific device and payment channel while securely storing the original card credentials in a protected environment.
Visa said it has issued more than 12.6 billion network tokens, enabling device-specific payment credentials that improve transaction approval rates while reducing fraud in digital payments.
According to the company, the transition to network tokens has resulted in measurable improvements in payment performance. Visa reported that tokenized transactions have increased authorization approval rates by approximately 4.6% while reducing fraud in card-not-present transactions by around 30%. Card-not-present transactions include purchases made online or through digital channels where a physical payment card is not presented during the transaction.
The tokenization process is designed to improve security by ensuring that sensitive payment credentials are not shared with merchants during a transaction. Instead, merchants receive a unique token that is valid only for a designated device or payment environment. Even if a token were compromised, its limited scope would reduce the likelihood of unauthorized use across other devices or payment channels.
The technology also simplifies payment credential management. Because the actual card information remains securely stored within Visa’s infrastructure, payment tokens can continue functioning when an underlying card expires or is reissued, reducing the need for consumers to manually update payment details across digital wallets and merchant platforms.
A payment ring does not hold your card. It holds a token. What is this token I'm talking about?@Visa has now issued more than 12.6 billion of these network tokens. That, not the wearable, is the real shift in card issuance.
The mechanic: the network swaps your 16 digit card… https://t.co/wnOKwClZue
— Daniel Oon (@EauDoon) July 7, 2026
The company said separate network tokens can be issued for different devices, including smartphones, smartwatches, fitness bands, payment rings, and virtual cards. This approach allows each connected device to operate with its own unique credential while maintaining a secure connection to the underlying payment account.
The tokenization framework replaces traditional card numbers with unique credentials tied to individual devices and payment channels, helping improve security while supporting seamless credential updates when cards expire or are replaced.
The expansion of tokenized payments also reflects broader changes in consumer payment habits as digital wallets and wearable payment devices become more widely used. Industry participants have increasingly viewed payment tokens as the standard method for securing digital transactions across multiple connected devices rather than relying on static card numbers.
As adoption grows, competition among payment providers is expected to focus less on the payment credential itself and more on the speed and convenience of provisioning tokens to consumer devices. The ability to become the default payment option within digital wallets and connected devices is also expected to play an increasingly important role in attracting users.
Payment tokenization has become a key component of the digital payments ecosystem, supporting online commerce while addressing growing concerns surrounding payment fraud and credential theft. Financial institutions and payment networks have continued investing in tokenization technologies as digital commerce expands across mobile devices, wearables, and other connected platforms.
Visa‘s latest milestone highlights the payments industry’s broader shift toward tokenized digital credentials, as payment providers seek to enhance security, improve transaction success rates, and support an expanding range of connected payment devices.
