---
title: Your Hub for Payment Account Reference (PAR)
description: Payment Account Reference, is a unique identifier provided by payment schemes that acts as a bridge between various forms of cardholder data.
image: https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/PAR.png
---

[Skip to content](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#main-content)

![Basis Theory logo](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTLogo%20(1).png?width=365&height=122&name=BTLogo%20(1).png)

- [Use Cases](https://basistheory.com/)
  
  Show submenu for Use Cases 
  
    - [Creator Economy](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/creator-economy)
    - [Digital Health](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/health)
    - [E-Commerce](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/ecommerce)
    - [Fintech](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/fintech)
    - [Gaming](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/gaming)
    - [Subscription Merchants](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/subscriptions)
    - [Travel](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/travel)
    - [VSaaS](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/vsaas)
- Solutions
  
  Show submenu for Solutions 
  
    - [Agentic Commerce](https://basistheory.com/solution/agentic-commerce)
    - [Data Consolidation](https://basistheory.com/solution/data-consolidation)
    - [Monetize Payments](https://basistheory.com/solution/monetize-payments)
    - [Multi PSP](https://basistheory.com/solution/multi-psp)
    - [Payment Method Discovery](https://basistheory.com/solution/payment-method-discovery)
    - [Payment Vault](https://basistheory.com/solution/payment-vault)
- [Platform](https://basistheory.com/platform)
  
  Show submenu for Platform 
  
    - [Enrichments & Add-Ons](https://basistheory.com/add-ons)
    - [Partners](https://basistheory.com/partnerships)
    - [Why Basis Theory](https://basistheory.com/why-basis-theory)
- [Pricing](https://basistheory.com/pricing)
- Resources
  
  Show submenu for Resources 
  
    - [Blog](https://blog.basistheory.com)
    - [Case Studies](https://blog.basistheory.com/case-studies)
- [Docs](https://developers.basistheory.com/)

Open main navigation

Close main navigation

- [Use Cases](https://basistheory.com/)
  
  Show submenu for Use Cases 
  
    - [Creator Economy](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/creator-economy)
    - [Digital Health](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/health)
    - [E-Commerce](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/ecommerce)
    - [Fintech](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/fintech)
    - [Gaming](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/gaming)
    - [Subscription Merchants](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/subscriptions)
    - [Travel](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/travel)
    - [VSaaS](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/vsaas)
- Solutions
  
  Show submenu for Solutions 
  
    - [Agentic Commerce](https://basistheory.com/solution/agentic-commerce)
    - [Data Consolidation](https://basistheory.com/solution/data-consolidation)
    - [Monetize Payments](https://basistheory.com/solution/monetize-payments)
    - [Multi PSP](https://basistheory.com/solution/multi-psp)
    - [Payment Method Discovery](https://basistheory.com/solution/payment-method-discovery)
    - [Payment Vault](https://basistheory.com/solution/payment-vault)
- [Platform](https://basistheory.com/platform)
  
  Show submenu for Platform 
  
    - [Enrichments & Add-Ons](https://basistheory.com/add-ons)
    - [Partners](https://basistheory.com/partnerships)
    - [Why Basis Theory](https://basistheory.com/why-basis-theory)
- [Pricing](https://basistheory.com/pricing)
- Resources
  
  Show submenu for Resources 
  
    - [Blog](https://blog.basistheory.com)
    - [Case Studies](https://blog.basistheory.com/case-studies)
- [Docs](https://developers.basistheory.com/)
- [Get a demo](https://basistheory.com/contact)

[Login](https://portal.basistheory.com/)

[Get a demo](https://basistheory.com/contact)

 October 16, 2023

![Picture of Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bt-favicon-new.png?width=50&name=bt-favicon-new.png) [Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/author/basis-theory-team) ·

[Product](https://blog.basistheory.com/tag/product)

# What to Know About Payment Account Reference (PAR)

![Payment Account Reference](https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/PAR.png)

## Table of Contents

- [Implemention](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#Implementation)
- [Payment Account Reference Use Cases](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#Uses)
- [Accessing PAR](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#Access)

As a merchant, you are likely aware of the struggle to recognize identical cards across the increasing amount of payment methods consumers use today. With numerous layers of abstracted card data, such as [Network Tokens](https://blog.basistheory.com/network-token-deep-dive), PSP Tokens, DPANs, and FPANs, it can be challenging to keep track of the relationships between these payment identifiers, if any.

PAR, or Payment Account Reference, is a tool developed by EMVco and the card schemes to help solve this problem. PAR is a unique identifier provided directly by payment schemes that acts as a bridge between various aforementioned forms of cardholder data used when collecting payments. The PAR value is designed to be unique across the global payments ecosystem. PAR is not intended to track consumers but instead provides a secure way to link multiple payment methods to a single account, benefiting both merchants and consumers.

The PAR values are beneficial for fintechs and merchants that wish to enhance their loyalty programs, reduce fraud, and gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ behavior.

However, there is a significant obstacle to using this service. To leverage the benefits of PAR, one must attain [PCI level 1 compliance](https://blog.basistheory.com/pci-compliance-levels) or adopt a third-party card tokenization platform. This platform allows for the secure collection and storage of PANs independently of Payment Service Providers (PSPs). It allows you to send PAN data to third-party endpoints, such as card schemes' APIs, to access PAR values while ensuring PCI compliance remains intact.

Basis Theory provides a payment-focused tokenization platform with all the development tools to ensure secure collection and transfer of PAN, while maintaining PCI compliance. Companies that use our platform have complete control over their payment data, allowing them to optimize customer experience, create new products, and increase revenue using tools such as PAR.

[Return to Top](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#TOC)

## Implementation

You can access PAR through API with all card schemes. To meet the API requirements of each card scheme, you can use Basis Theory's [Reactors](https://developers.basistheory.com/docs/api/reactors/) or [Pre-configured Proxy](https://developers.basistheory.com/docs/api/proxies/pre-configured-proxies). We also provide a Reactor example using Terraform, where you can just input your variables and quickly deploy to production.

[Return to Top](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#TOC)

## Use Cases for PAR

In short, PAR enables companies to maintain and enhance fraud prevention, loyalty programs, and reporting initiatives. It provides a single, unchanging reference for the entire card's life, whether it involves an in-store or e-commerce transaction.

To provide some real-world examples, let's examine a few use cases.

### Loyalty across payment methods.

With the user's permission, PAR can identify the same card regardless of how this user pays (e.g., PAN, card swipe, Apple Pay, Google Pay) or where they pay (e.g., in-store, online). This feature enables the development, or enhancement, of loyalty programs that may not be linked directly to a phone number or email address. Additionally, merchants can obtain a more complete understanding of a customer's purchase history. In turn, they can work to influence user behavior by offering tailored promotions, rewards, and coupons.

### **Account linking fraud and promotion abuse.**

PAR can be used to detect two types of fraud: account linking fraud and promotion abuse.

**Account linking fraud** occurs when fraudsters create multiple fake accounts using different email addresses or phone numbers, but all are linked to the same stolen credit card. PAR can detect this type of fraud by comparing PARs from all users. If a PAR is linked to multiple accounts or suspicious payment methods, merchants can disable associated accounts to address the issue.

**Promotion abuse** is when users exploit new user promotions by creating multiple accounts. PAR can detect fraud by identifying if one credit card is connected to different phone numbers or email addresses across all the payment methods. Using PAR along with device IP or other data gives your team more confidence when shutting down accounts and ensuring your new users aren’t unfairly being thwarted from using your service.

[Return to Top](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#TOC)

## Access to PAR

Basis Theory's payment platform provides payment teams with access to tools like PAR through an API call.

With PAR values, teams can unlock a ton of possibilities, including enhancing their loyalty programs and strengthening their defenses against fraud. This empowers teams to concentrate on delivering value to their customers while we support them in accomplishing their objectives in a secure and compliant manner.

[Return to Top](https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference#TOC)

[![View an Interactive Demo   See how the Basis Theory platform secures payment data and significantly reduces PCI compliance burden from day 1.  ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/22332934/interactive-171495116167.png)](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKgdS7UgA%2BohQIiy%2B%2BO7rQcEw2iAxF60w0uM5ZjSPKqHPoBn53z%2BZvewTTaZJnwddLF8kz4uQWq1IWYBFTM0LfA6M9tLzAqMZlIiMizHsfo6ZcjmMsV7elCU51FIpbfYivrQYurKpOEHaAuK6ZVhK%2FkedZqZDb6UG7ICYghb5o3ZCTRIb5T84LGWyOMHDefCRLI1E2SOpDqO00BRPzyvUKho3At74P07xoQuNqE8FY0yCGUhhqkKQ%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=171495116167&portalId=22332934)

## Related posts

[![glossary of payment terms](https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/payment-glossary.png)](https://blog.basistheory.com/payments-glossary)

### [A Glossary of Payment Terms](https://blog.basistheory.com/payments-glossary)

![Picture of Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bt-favicon-new.png?width=50&name=bt-favicon-new.png) [Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/author/basis-theory-team) 

 November 7, 2023

[Read more](https://blog.basistheory.com/payments-glossary)

[![Payment Token Types](https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/Types%20of%20Payment%20Tokens.png)](https://blog.basistheory.com/payment-tokens-vs-network-tokens)

[Payments](https://blog.basistheory.com/tag/payments)

### [Payment Tokens Explained: PSP, Network, and Universal Tokens](https://blog.basistheory.com/payment-tokens-vs-network-tokens)

![Picture of Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bt-favicon-new.png?width=50&name=bt-favicon-new.png) [Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/author/basis-theory-team) 

 September 30, 2025

[Read more](https://blog.basistheory.com/payment-tokens-vs-network-tokens)

[![Network tokens](https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/Making%20Dollars%20and%20Cents%20of%20Network%20Tokens.png)](https://blog.basistheory.com/network-token-deep-dive)

[Data Tokenization](https://blog.basistheory.com/tag/data-tokenization)

### [Making Dollars and Cents of Network Tokens](https://blog.basistheory.com/network-token-deep-dive)

![Picture of Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bt-favicon-new.png?width=50&name=bt-favicon-new.png) [Basis Theory](https://blog.basistheory.com/author/basis-theory-team) 

 September 25, 2025

[Read more](https://blog.basistheory.com/network-token-deep-dive)

## Stay Connected

### Receive the latest updates straight to your inbox

### Follow on Social

<https://www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=colinthomasluce>

[![BTLogo (1)](https://blog.basistheory.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTLogo%20(1).png?width=138&height=46&name=BTLogo%20(1).png "BTLogo (1)")](https://basistheory.com)

- Use Cases 
    - [Creator Economy](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/creator-economy)
    - [Digital Health](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/health)
    - [E-Commerce](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/ecommerce)
    - [Fintech](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/fintech)
    - [Gaming](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/gaming)
    - [Remittance](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/remittance)
    - [Subscription Platforms](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/subscriptions)
    - [Online Travel Agencies](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/travel)
    - [Vertical SaaS](https://basistheory.com/use-cases/vsaas)
- Developers 
    - [Quickstart](https://developers.basistheory.com/getting-started)
    - [Elements](https://developers.basistheory.com/docs/sdks/web/javascript)
    - [Documentation](https://developers.basistheory.com/)
- Basis Theory 
    - [Pricing](https://basistheory.com/pricing)
    - [Add-Ons](https://basistheory.com/add-ons)
    - [ROI Calculator](https://go.basistheory.com/roi)
    - [Case Studies](https://blog.basistheory.com/case-studies)
    - [Blog](https://blog.basistheory.com)
    - [Contact](https://basistheory.com/contact)
- Other 
    - [Terms and Conditions](https://basistheory.com/resources/terms-of-service)
    - [Privacy Policy](https://basistheory.com/resources/privacy-policy)
    - [Cookie Policy](https://basistheory.com/resources/cookie-policy)
    - [Security](https://basistheory.com/security)
    - [System Status](https://status.basistheory.com/)
- Compare 
    - [Basis Theory Vs. Evervault](https://go.basistheory.com/evervault-alternative)
    - [Basis Theory Vs. IXOPAY](https://go.basistheory.com/alternative-to-ixopay)
    - [Basis Theory Vs. VGS](https://go.basistheory.com/compare/very-good-security)

---

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Basis Theory",
    "url" : "https://blog.basistheory.com/author/basis-theory-team"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-10-02T20:07:12.226Z",
  "datePublished" : "2023-10-16T17:58:55.000Z",
  "headline" : "Your Hub for Payment Account Reference (PAR)",
  "image" : [ "https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/PAR.png" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://blog.basistheory.com/centralized-hub-payment-account-reference",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://blog.basistheory.com/hubfs/BTLogo%20(1).png"
    },
    "name" : "Basis Theory"
  }
}
```