FAQs for Tokenization
Sr. No Question
What are the RBI guidelines on saving
1
a card on an online merchant?
2 What is Card tokenization?
3 What are the steps for tokenization?
4 How to use a token?
Can I tokenize my existing saved
5 tokenization while you are transacting or will prompt you post login
card?
What will happen to my saved cards
6 have to save/ tokenize your card once again which can be used for
on online merchant app?
What will happen if I don’t tokenize
7 website/ app, you will have to enter all the card details (card
my card?
Will the merchant store my card
8
details?
Answer
As per RBI mandate, starting January 01, 2022, sensitive customer
information like complete card number, CVV & Expiry date or any
other sensitive information related to cards cannot be stored by
merchants for processing online transactions. The merchants will
have to remove all details stored, by December 31, 2021.
They will be allowed to store the customer’s card details only
through tokenization post taking an AFA (Additional factor
authentication, eg: OTP) from the customer. This means that as per
the new guidelines, you can now safely secure your card details
using tokenisation while you shop with the online merchants.
Tokenization is a backend process of replacing Credit/ Debit Card
details with a unique set of characters or a 'token'. This will secure
payments and enable future transactions without exposing any
sensitive card details. Token generation is a system process, you
just need to save your card.
 Visit your online merchant's website/ app
 Choose the product you want to buy
 Select Kotak Bank Credit/ Debit Card at checkout or enter
your Kotak Bank Card details
 Select ‘securely save your card’
 After successful authentication your card is now secure and
now you can pay conveniently without entering your card
details every time.
A token once generated can be used for all future payments on the
online merchant app/ website, there will be no need to enter your
card details every time.
Yes. You can tokenize your saved cards, depending on merchants.
Merchants may either provide the option to save the card using
on their website/ app to save your cards using AFA (Additional
factor authentication, eg: OTP).
From January 01, 2022, all the customer card details currently
saved on the online merchant app/ website will be deleted. You will
all future transactions or you can enter your full card number, CVV
and Expiry date every time to complete the online transactions.
If you don’t tokenise your card, every time you shop on an online
number, expiry date, CVV) to make the payment.
No. Merchant will not store your actual card details. A token
corresponding to your card will be stored.
 Only your card networks (VISA, MasterCard, Rupay, Amex, etc.) and
Who will have access to my card
9 your card issuer (Kotak Mahindra Bank) will have access to your
details?
card details from these tokens.
Multiple tokens are issued for the same card on different online
platforms, making it difficult to trace back the token to the card
10 How is card tokenization safer? details. In case, any merchant’s data is hacked, the token details
alone cannot be used for any fraudulent transactions. Thus
completely securing your card.
How will I identify the card on the You will see the last 4 digits of their card number on the merchant
11
merchant page after tokenization? page.
Can I select which card is to be used
For performing any transaction, you can use any of the cards
12 in case I have more than one card
registered with the token requestor/ merchant.
tokenized?
What will happen to the token once
You will have to visit the merchant page and create a fresh token
13 my card gets replaced or renewed or
with the new card credentials.
reissued or upgraded?
Is the Tokenization guideline Yes. All Debit and Credit Cards will have to be tokenized for online
14
applicable for all Credit/ Debit Cards? transactions starting January 01, 2022.
Is Tokenization applicable for cards
15 No. Tokenization is applicable only for domestic transactions.
saved for International transactions?
Will tokenization impact the card
16 No. Tokenization is only required for online transactions.
transactions at merchant outlets?
Are there any charges for tokenizing
17 No. There are no additional charges for tokenizing the card.
the cards?
How many cards can be tokenized at
18 You can tokenize multiple cards with each merchant.
each merchant?