---
title: Card Vaulting
slug: card-vaulting
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-06-01T13:20:13.766Z
---

# Introduction

As part of our **Payment Optimization suite**, Forter offers **agnostic card vaulting solutions** that work across all processors to:

- **Protect sensitive card data** by replacing it with secure tokens.
- **Improve payment performance** by reducing fraud and increasing approval rates.
- **Maintain full control over card data** while ensuring compliance with PCI-DSS standards.

Our suite includes:

- **PCI Tokens**
- **Network Tokens**
- **Account Updater**

These solutions help you optimize your payment stack while tailoring your compliance needs to your business model.

![Image](https://images.archbee.com/dYhsqkppjaUNAqFmds_Ny-nQrSMPD03N1d2HYjEZ3Bw-20250613-161843.jpg)

# Benefits of Forter Tokenization

- **Agnostic Tokens** – Enabling multi-processor strategy.
- **Zero PCI Scope** – Eliminate the need to build and maintain a PCI-certified vault, saving resources, costs, and compliance efforts.
- **Processor Flexibility** – Tokenized card data can be used across multiple payment processors.
- **Enhanced Security** – Protect sensitive card data, reducing the risk of fraud and data breaches.
- **Seamless Integration** – Work with any processor, ensuring full payment ecosystem flexibility.

# Choosing the Right Tokenization Approach

When implementing Forter Tokenization solution for your project, select **only one** of the available approaches outlined in this documentation.

### [Zero PCI Scope](docId\:gPEb45Niq-BRc5fpkDBnZ)\*\* (Recommended)\*\*

**Who is it for?** Merchants who want to avoid handling card data entirely

**Compliance scope:** Forter fully handles compliance

**How it works: **Forter collects and tokenizes card data before it reaches your system

1. Implement **Forter’s Hosted Fields** on your checkout page.
2. Receive a **single-use token** when the customer submits payment.
3. Process transaction using the token.
4. Upgrade to a **multi-use token** for recurring payments via the Upgrade API.

### [Limited PCI Scope](docId\:ku_Djeldf5--dl9ugHdMF) 

**Who is it for?** PSPs & merchants who are already PCI compliant but want to reduce scope

**Compliance scope:** You retain some compliance responsibilities

**How it works: **You collect card data but tokenize it through Forter's API

1. Collect card data in your front end (checkout window), but send to Forter to receive a **PCI token** before storing in backend.
2. Forter passes card data via **Detokenization Proxy** to processor(s) when needed (i.e., in Authorization step).

### Which one to choose? 

If you don't want any **PCI liability**, choose **Zero PCI Compliance**.

If you already have PCI compliance but want to **minimize exposure**, choose **Limited PCI Compliance**.

***

# Components

## Zero PCI Compliance

Forter handles the entire process, so you never touch raw card data.

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:::LinkArrayItem
[Detokenization Proxy](docId\:OfFNU07xBM4EPefHK2jsf) 

Passes card data to third-party services without exposing raw card details.
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:::LinkArrayItem
[Hosted Fields](docId\:ehMPR2ImC2DyqB79Qi0RW)

Collects card data securely on the checkout page and returns a token.
:::
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## Limited PCI Compliance

You collect card data but reduce PCI scope with Forter’s Tokenization API.

::::LinkArray
:::LinkArrayItem
[PCI Tokenization](docId\:LV3MxjmewXKauwqXIndlD)

Replace sensitive payment data with non-sensitive tokens.
:::
::::

***

## Additional Payment Optimization Features

In addition to PCI Tokenization, Forter's Card Vaulting solution also offers:

::::LinkArray
:::LinkArrayItem
[Network Tokens](docId\:gnOgXpZzTHVw9Suf4qjot) 

Reduce processing costs & improve approval rates using network-issued tokens.
:::

:::LinkArrayItem
[Account Updater](https://docs.forter.com/account-updater-api) 

Automatically update expired or replaced cards for seamless transactions.
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