A new guide tells merchants to prepare for card tokens before 2030. Stores that still save full card numbers may face more risk and more work.
Startup Stash has published a guide telling merchants to get ready for card tokens before 2030. A card token is a stand-in code that works in place of your real card number. The guide's headline says tokens are replacing the 16-digit number printed on your card.
Think of a token like a coat-check ticket. The business holds the ticket instead of your actual coat. If the ticket leaks, it is not your real card number. The guide gives merchants a six-point list to prepare.
The main warning is for stores that still save full card numbers. They may face more risk and more work. That touches any business that takes card payments, whether it is a small shop or a larger company.
The full text of the guide was not available, so the six points are not known. It is also unclear who set the 2030 timeline, whether it is a firm deadline, and what the change could cost a business. Those details are worth checking before acting.
If you take card payments, find out now whether you store real card numbers, and ask your payment provider about tokens.
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