PAN (primary account number) removal has become one of the most talked-about changes in payments, with headlines suggesting merchants and platforms are facing disruption, complexity and risk. For some, the idea of long card numbers disappearing feels like a fundamental shift that will force costly changes across checkout and contact centre operations.
In reality, PAN removal is far less dramatic than it sounds.
The move away from visible card numbers is not a sudden switch-off. It is a gradual evolution that many businesses have already started, often without realising it. The real risk is not the technology itself. It is misunderstanding what is changing and failing to prepare customer journeys properly.
Why PAN removal sounds new, but isn’t
The idea of PAN removal can feel radical, particularly for organisations that still support Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) payments or rely on legacy checkout flows.
However, most merchants already operate in a partially PAN-free environment.
If you accept digital wallets, one-click checkout, subscription payments or stored cards, you are already using tokenisation. In these scenarios, customers are not entering a 16-digit card number every time they pay. Instead, a secure token represents the card behind the scenes.
From a customer perspective, this feels normal. From a risk perspective, it reduces the value of stolen data. From a compliance perspective, it can significantly reduce PCI scope.
So when headlines talk about PAN removal, they are often describing a continuation of a shift that is already well underway.
Customers are further ahead with PAN removal than many merchants think
Another reason PAN removal feels more daunting than it should is a misunderstanding of customer behaviour.
A growing number of consumers actively prefer digital wallets and one-click tools. They expect checkout to be quick, familiar and friction-free. For these customers, typing a full card number already feels outdated.
This is particularly true in eCommerce and app-based journeys, where Click to Pay and other wallet-based options are increasingly the default choice rather than an alternative.
The result is a gap between perception and reality. Some businesses worry that PAN removal will confuse customers, while customers are already choosing payment methods that do not rely on visible card numbers at all.
The real question is not whether customers can adapt. It is whether merchants and platforms communicate the change clearly and support every customer type.
The real challenge is communication, not technology
For most businesses, PAN removal is less about new technology and more about using existing tools more effectively.
Technology is rarely the hardest part of payment change. Communication is.
Poor communication can turn a manageable transition into a support issue. Clear communication can make the same change feel seamless.
Customers do not need to understand tokenisation, delegated authentication or scheme mandates. They need reassurance that they can still pay in a way that feels familiar and secure.
This is especially important for phone payments and assisted journeys. Customers who rely on MOTO often value reassurance and human interaction. PAN removal should not remove confidence or choice.
The businesses that handle this well are the ones that explain what is happening in plain language and design journeys that guide customers, rather than forcing them to adapt abruptly.
Two practical areas to focus on now
Instead of worrying about deadlines or headlines, merchants and platforms should focus on two practical areas.
Update checkout and MOTO flows
Start by identifying where full card numbers are still being collected, handled or spoken aloud.
For eCommerce, this may mean expanding wallet-based checkout options or introducing Click to Pay. For phone payments, it often means replacing verbal card capture with secure alternatives.
PayByLink allows agents to guide customers through a secure payment journey without hearing or handling card details. Agent Assist and IVR solutions further reduce exposure while keeping the interaction personal.
This is not about removing payment options. It is about removing unnecessary risk from existing journeys.
Make sure fallback channels work for every customer
A digital-first future cannot be digital-only.
Some customers will always need assistance, whether due to age, accessibility needs or lack of suitable technology. These customers still make a significant volume of payments, particularly by phone.
Merchants should test fallback journeys with the same care as their primary checkout. That includes ensuring links work across devices, agents are confident explaining the process, and payment routing is resilient if one method fails.
This is where payment orchestration becomes essential. Orchestration allows businesses to support multiple payment methods and fallback routes without rebuilding their payment stack each time the landscape changes.
How Encoded supports PAN removal without disruption
Encoded’s approach to PAN removal is built around continuity.
Click to Pay supports faster, PAN-free checkout for digital-first customers. Agent Assist and IVR tools help contact centres move away from verbal card capture without losing the human touch. PayByLink bridges the gap, offering a simple, familiar experience that works across devices.
Underpinning all of this is payment orchestration. By managing routing, fallback and payment method choice at a platform level, orchestration future-proofs journeys as schemes and customer expectations evolve.
The result is not a dramatic overhaul, but a controlled transition that reduces risk and improves customer experience over time.
Preparing without panic
Ditching card numbers is not the end of payments as we know them. It is a logical response to rising fraud and changing customer behaviour.
Most merchants are already further along this path than they think. With the right preparation, PAN removal becomes a manageable step forward rather than a disruptive event.
The opportunity now is to review payment journeys, improve communication and make sure no customer is left behind.
Ready to prepare for PAN removal?
PAN removal does not need to be disruptive, but it does need planning.
Check your readiness for PAN removal to see where card numbers still exist in your payment journeys and how to remove them safely, without breaking checkout or contact centre flows.
Speak to Encoded about preparing for life after PANs, while keeping every customer connected.
