---
term: "Payment token"
category: "Agent payments"
url: https://agenticopenfinance.com/glossary/payment-token
source: AgenticOpenFinance glossary
---

# Payment token

> A substitute value that replaces a card number, usable only in a defined domain such as one device or merchant.

A payment token is a substitute value that replaces a card's primary account number in a transaction, so the real number is not exposed to merchants or apps. Under EMV Payment Tokenisation, tokens can be restricted to a domain, such as a device, a merchant or a channel, and can be suspended or replaced without reissuing the card. Scheme agent programmes build on the same mechanism to give agents their own credentials.

Related terms: [Agent token](https://agenticopenfinance.com/glossary/agent-token.md), [Delegated payment](https://agenticopenfinance.com/glossary/delegated-payment.md), [Card-not-present transaction](https://agenticopenfinance.com/glossary/card-not-present-transaction.md), [EMV 3-D Secure](https://agenticopenfinance.com/glossary/emv-3-d-secure.md)