Definition
Tokenization replaces a primary account number (PAN) with a random surrogate value that is useless if stolen. The real PAN lives in a PCI-compliant vault; the merchant stores only the token and uses it for repeat charges, subscriptions, and one-click checkout.
Network tokens, issued by Visa and Mastercard directly, go a step further: they are tied to a specific merchant, update automatically when a card is reissued, and typically earn higher authorization rates and lower interchange than raw PANs.
Example
A customer saves a card for monthly billing. Two months later the bank reissues the card after a breach. Because HL Hunt stored a network token, the next renewal still approves with no customer action.
How HL Hunt handles it
Every card processed through HL Hunt is vaulted and network-tokenized automatically at no extra cost. Tokens are portable: if you ever leave, we export them to your new provider.