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8 Digit BIN FAQ
1. What is a BIN?
Bank Identification Numbers (BIN) uniquely identify networks, issuers, and other important information across the payments ecosystem. A continuous supply of BINs is necessary to ensure a sustainable, safe, and secure global payments ecosystem, enabling growth and innovation in an increasingly digital world. Increasing BIN demand across the entirety of the electronic payments ecosystem has brought about the need for the extension of BINs from the first 6 digits of a Primary Account Number (PAN) to the first 8 digits of a PAN, with no change to PAN length.
2. Will Issuers need to reissue their cards when the Bank Identification Number (BIN) expands to eight digits?
No. Because Primary Account Number (PAN) length will remain 16 digits, there is no need to proactively reissue existing cards. The BIN will become the existing first eight digits of the PAN.
3. Will Visa and Mastercard align on the implementation date?
While the two Card Brands have not actively aligned, it has transpired that both Visa and Mastercard will implement the move to 8 Digit BINs in April 2022.
4. Will Visa and Mastercard mandate issuer, acquirer and processor readiness before April 2022?
All stakeholders must be ready by April 2022, including affected third parties and agents that may not be directly connected to Visa or Mastercard.
5. Will changes to the authorization and clearing messages be needed as a result of the BIN length expanding to eight digits?
No changes are needed in the authorization message to support the expanded BIN length.
6. When will Visa and Mastercard start assigning eight-digit BINs?
Both Mastercard and Visa will begin assigning eight-digit BINs effective April 2022. However, some issuers already have been issued BINs that are already in effect, 8 Digit BINs
7. Despite the expansion of the BIN length, does continued support for a 16-digit PAN length create concerns about Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) requirements for masking or truncation of data?
The current position is:
- Data Presented on Screens and Reports: PCI DSS provisions already allow users with a legitimate business need to see any or all of the PAN digits. No changes are expected to accommodate the expansion of the BIN length.
- Data at Rest: Clients that use truncation as their only method of complying with the PCI requirement for protecting data at rest will need to add one or more of the other acceptable methods for data protection, such as encryption, hashing or tokenization.
- PCI SSC: Updates earlier this year identified first 6 and any other 4 digits will be compliant
- FTC Rules: Rules for redaction of PAN on transaction receipts is unchanged
8. With the move to 8 Digit BINs, will the full BIN be available from Paysafe for consumption?
If you currently consume the 6 Digit BIN from Paysafe, please note that with the introduction of the 8 Digit BIN, you will still only receive the first 6 digits of the BIN – not the full 8 Digit BIN.
9. How will the Card Schemes communicate the new eight-digit BINs to acquirers and merchants?
Information about BINs and account ranges will continue to be defined by Visa and Mastercard. All Tables and Lists used by your company or any 3rd parties or partners should be updated regularly based on the Visa and Mastercard tables they distribute.