What is PCI DSS?
The card-industry security standard everyone who touches payment card data must meet.
PCI DSS: definition
Created by the major card brands, PCI DSS defines controls for protecting cardholder data - from network security and encryption to access control and monitoring. Compliance obligations scale with transaction volume across four merchant levels, and the surest way to reduce scope is to avoid handling raw card data at all, typically by using a compliant payment processor and tokenization.
- Protects cardholder data across storage, processing, and transmission
- Requirements span network security, encryption, access control, monitoring
- Four merchant levels based on annual transaction volume
- Scope shrinks dramatically when you never touch raw card data (tokenization)
How Fintra handles it
Fintra minimizes PCI scope by design - routing payments through compliant processors and tokenizing rather than storing raw card data - so most businesses never bring sensitive card data into their own environment. Where PCI controls do apply, the compliance layer maps them and collects the access and monitoring evidence auditors expect.
Worked example
Frequently asked questions
Who needs to be PCI DSS compliant?
Any organization that stores, processes, or transmits payment card data - merchants and service providers alike. The specific requirements and validation depend on your merchant level, which is based on annual card transaction volume.
How do you reduce PCI DSS scope?
By minimizing contact with raw cardholder data - using a compliant payment processor, tokenization, and hosted payment fields so sensitive data never enters your systems. Less exposure means a far simpler compliance obligation. Fintra is built this way.
What are the PCI merchant levels?
Four levels set by annual transaction volume, with Level 1 (the highest volume) facing the most rigorous validation, including an on-site assessment, and lower levels typically using self-assessment questionnaires. Your level determines how you must validate compliance.
How does Fintra help with PCI DSS?
Fintra minimizes scope by routing payments through compliant processors and tokenizing card data, so most businesses never handle raw card data. For controls that do apply, it maps requirements and collects access and monitoring evidence.
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