# Card Vaulting

# [Introduction](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#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.

# [Benefits of Forter Tokenization](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#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](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#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** (Recommended)**](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#zero-pci-scope-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 ](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#limited-pci-scope) 
**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? ](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#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](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#components) 
## [Zero PCI Compliance](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#zero-pci-compliance) 
Forter handles the entire process, so you never touch raw card data.

[Detokenization Proxy](https://docs.forter.com/detokenization-proxy)  
Passes card data to third-party services without exposing raw card details.

[Hosted Fields](https://docs.forter.com/hosted-fields-sdk) 
Collects card data securely on the checkout page and returns a token.

## [Limited PCI Compliance](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#limited-pci-compliance) 
You collect card data but reduce PCI scope with Forter’s Tokenization API.

[PCI Tokenization](https://docs.forter.com/tokenization-api) 
Replace sensitive payment data with non-sensitive tokens.

## [Additional Payment Optimization Features](https://docs.forter.com/card-vaulting#additional-payment-optimization-features) 
In addition to PCI Tokenization, Forter's Card Vaulting solution also offers:

[Network Tokenization](https://docs.forter.com/tokenization-api "Network Tokenization")
Reduce processing costs & improve approval rates using network-issued tokens.

[Account Updater](https://docs.forter.com/account-updater-api "Account Updater")
Automatically update expired or replaced cards for seamless transactions.