What is a BIN?

A Bank Identification Number (BIN), also known as the Issuer Identification Number (INN), is the first 6-8 digits of your credit or debit card’s Primary Account Number (PAN). It identifies the issuing bank or institution, the card network (such as Visa or MasterCard), and the card type (credit, debit, prepaid, etc.), and the geographic location of the issuing bank. Merchants and payment processors use BINs to detect potential fraud, comply with regulatory requirements, and ensure secure, accurate payment processing.

How the Primary Account Number Works

The 16-digit Primary Account Number (PAN) on your card is composed of:

• The Bank Identification Number (BIN): Identifies the issuing bank or institution.
• The Account Identifier: Links the card to your account.
• The Checksum Digit: Validates the PAN using the Luhn algorithm.

What Can You Learn from the BIN?

Our BIN Lookup tool provides insights like:

• Issuing Bank or Institution: Identify the financial institution responsible for issuing the card to ensure accurate transaction routing.
• Card Network: Determine if the card belongs to VIsa, MasterCard, American Express, or another network to apply the correct processing rules.
• Card Type: Understand whether the card is credit, debit, prepaid, or charge to manage transactions appropriately.
• Card Level: Learn if the card is standard, gold, platinum, or corporate, which can indicate spending limits or benefits.
• Geographic Location:  Find the card’s issuing country or region, which helps in detecting unusual activity or fraud.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure cross-border transactions adhere to local financial regulations.
• Merchant Category Identification: Discover patterns in how and where the card is typically used to optimize fraud prevention and customer experience.