Payment Tokenization Goes Mainstream: G+D Manages 1.4 Billion Tokens
Munich / Zurich, 16 September 2026 – Online card payments are increasingly processed using tokens rather than card numbers. For card issuers, this shift creates a new operational requirement: They must provision and manage tokens across multiple payment networks throughout the entire token lifecycle. Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) operates one of the largest cross-network token infrastructures in Europe to address this challenge.
Tokenization is becoming the standard in digital payments. According to Mastercard, three in five e-commerce transactions on its European network are now tokenized. The company has set a goal of achieving 100 percent tokenization in European e-commerce by 2030. Visa manages three times more tokens than physical cards globally and reports that more than 50 percent of its transactions are now tokenized.
Fusion Platform, the tokenization platform from G+D Netcetera, the financial software subsidiary of Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), manages more than 1.4 billion payment tokens for banks and card issuers. It handles the provisioning and lifecycle management of tokens across multiple payment networks. This makes G+D Netcetera the operator of one of the most comprehensive, cross-network token infrastructures for card issuers in Europe.
The Business Impact of Tokenized Payments
Tokenized transactions achieve higher approval rates and lower fraud rates, according to data published by the major payment networks. For banks and card issuers, this means the quality of their token infrastructure has a direct impact on revenue and fraud costs. Delays or outages in token provisioning immediately affect business performance. The G+D Fusion Platform ensures this quality through 24/7 service availability and near-instantaneous transaction processing.
Tokenization as the Foundation for AI-Powered Commerce
The next wave of demand for token infrastructure is emerging from AI-powered commerce. Mastercard has introduced Agent Pay, a framework built on so-called agentic tokens that leverages the network’s existing tokenization infrastructure. Visa Intelligent Commerce combines tokenization with payment credentials, authentication, and spend controls for agentic transactions. American Express released a comparable developer kit in April 2026. All three approaches rely on tokenized payment credentials. As a result, an institution’s token infrastructure determines which new forms of commerce it can offer to its customers.
At the same time, regulatory requirements governing critical payment infrastructure are increasing. DORA has required financial institutions to demonstrate digital operational resilience since January 2025, including oversight of third-party ICT service providers. In April 2026, the Council of the European Union published the final compromise texts for PSD3 and the Payment Services Regulation. For European institutions, this raises the stakes on where and under whose supervision their token infrastructure is operated.
“Tokenization used to be a background security measure. Today, it is a prerequisite for participating in digital commerce at all,” says Jukka Yliuntinen, Head of Digital Issuance at G+D Netcetera. “Payment networks are building their frameworks for AI-powered commerce on top of existing tokenization. Institutions that cannot manage tokens across networks and in real time will not be able to support these use cases. For European financial institutions, there is the added requirement that this infrastructure be operated under European supervision. With our platform, we are actively contributing to the development of agent-based payments across multiple networks and enabling straightforward adoption for the entire payments industry.”
About Giesecke+Devrient
Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is a global SecurityTech company headquartered in Munich, Germany. G+D makes the lives of billions of people more secure. The company shapes trust in the digital age, with built-in security technology in three segments: Digital Security, Financial Platforms and Currency Technology.
G+D was founded in 1852 and today has a workforce of more than 14,500 employees. In the fiscal year 2025, the company generated a turnover of 3.2 billion euros. G+D is represented by 118 subsidiaries and joint ventures in 41 countries. Further information: www.gi-de.com
About G+D Netcetera
G+D Netcetera is a leading European software company with Swiss roots, specializing in future-proof digital solutions for the financial industry. As an end-to-end digitalization partner for banks, payment service providers, and insurers, the company creates growth opportunities for businesses by pushing the boundaries of digital possibilities.
Founded in 1996, G+D Netcetera is a business of about 900 experts at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and its locations across Europe. Since 2020, the company has been the trusted software division within the security tech group Giesecke+Devrient (G+D). Further information: netcetera.com and LinkedIn.
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