How will life pan out when long card numbers disappear?

Rob Crutchington takes a look at what the future holds for Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) payments after long card numbers disappear and how to maintain personal customer connection in a digital world.

Mastercard’s mandate(i) to phase out all Primary Account Numbers (or PANs) by 2030 is a real shake-up for the industry and another step towards a digital-first future. Instead of entering the 16-digit number on their debit or credit cards when making a payment, consumers will be able to make one-click payments with the alternative payment method (APM) of their choice or by using biometric authentication with a thumbprint.

Hitting fraudsters where it hurts most

The reality is that card numbers have long been a prime target for fraudsters so Mastercard’s thinking is that if PANs keep getting stolen, why not get rid of card numbers altogether? It’s hard to argue this logic when the global cybercrime economy – a $9.5 trillion behemoth – represents the world’s third-largest economy by GDP, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, trailing only the US and China. If this is true then removing PANs is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

Can we really live without PANs?

Theoretically, the introduction of a totally digital-first approach paves the way to more secure and seamless payments but it inevitably favours smartphone-based transactions over plastic cards. However, what happens in an emergency when technology fails? Likewise, eliminating PANs is discriminatory and creates a digital divide. It alienates merchants with legacy systems and loyal customers who rely on the human touch of a traditional Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) service, such as the visually impaired or people without smartphones, including consumers on lower incomes or the elderly.

New analysis for Age UK(ii) warns that 1 in 5 older people are digitally excluded and at risk of being left behind. The charity is concerned that a digital-first approach will see older people struggling to manage their own finances and healthcare as they age. Twelve percent of older people – equivalent to 1.6 million – don’t use a mobile phone at all, while 33% (4.3 million) don’t use a smartphone. Meanwhile’s Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to introduce digital ID cards were slammed by the charity as ‘chaotic, unfair and inefficient(iii)’.

These customers might well be a relatively tiny part of the payment landscape but collectively, they initiate over half a billion MOTO transactions in the UK alone, every year. At a time when fears over increased risk of fraud associated with MOTO payments, due to human intervention, have largely been alleviated by the introduction of technology like PayByLink, Agent Assisted/Fraud Prevention automation and embedded security features such as encryption or tokenisation, plans to abolish PANs for security reasons could be seen as a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

It’s out of the pan into the fire in 2030, says Forbes Tech Council(iv)

Mastercard’s plans are the biggest shake-up of technology that the contact centre and payment card industry have experienced in years. Preparation is critical to success, ensuring a smooth transition for MOTO customers. Here are our top tips for maintaining security and personal connection in a digital world – we all have a part to play:

Issuers

The best way for card issuers to prepare for life after PANs is to combine robust tokenisation, proactive adoption of digital payment solutions, rigorous compliance, technology modernisation, and clear customer communication. This approach not only ensures security and compliance but also positions issuers as leaders in the evolving payments landscape. Solutions like Click to Pay, delivered via agent-assisted PayByLink, offer more than just a replacement:

They provide a seamless, secure, and user-friendly payment experience
They help shift the narrative from fear to opportunity, positioning issuers as innovators rather than reluctant adapters.

Acquirers

Acquirers should look to modernise technology and embrace new payment methods, the payments landscape is rapidly evolving. Support for alternative payment methods (APMs), digital wallets, and embedded finance is now expected by merchants and consumers.

A need to strengthen risk management and fraud prevention. The post-PAN environment increases the importance of robust risk controls:

Enumeration attacks and account testing

Are on the rise. Acquirers must deploy advanced fraud detection, machine learning, and real-time monitoring to identify and block such attacks. [usa.visa.com]

Chargeback and compliance monitoring

Are becoming stricter, with new programs like Visa’s Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) and Mastercard’s Security Monitoring Program imposing lower thresholds and higher penalties for excessive fraud or chargebacks.

Payment Service Providers (PSPs)

PSPs like Encoded need to prepare for life after PANs by combining robust tokenisation, advanced payment orchestration, rigorous compliance, clear responsibility frameworks, and a relentless focus on security and customer experience. This approach not only ensures regulatory alignment and risk reduction but also positions PSPs as trusted, innovative partners in the evolving payments ecosystem.

PSPs have a duty of care to meet the needs of all customers through continuous product innovation. At Encoded, we believe listening to customer feedback and introducing smart technologies such as payment orchestration are critical to preparing merchants for life after PANs. Whether organisations are handling MOTO, Ecom, Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) like Click-to-Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay or Open Banking, this all-in-one platform simplifies and manages all payment types through a single, vendor-agnostic API (Application Programming Interface). This is consumer choice in action!

Rob Crutchington is CEO of Encoded

(i). Forbes – https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2025/09/11/out-of-the-pan-into-the-fire-the-risk-based-future-of-digital-transactions/
(ii). Age UK – Reference One
(iii). Age UK – Reference Two – Digital ID Cards
(iv). Forbes – https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2025/09/11/out-of-the-pan-into-the-fire-the-risk-based-future-of-digital-transactions/

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