Every time a customer types in their card details or taps to pay, they’re placing a lot of trust in the business on the other end of the transaction. That trust isn’t just about a seamless experience — it’s about security.
For businesses handling card payments, protecting cardholder data isn’t optional. It’s a fundamental responsibility. And when that trust is broken — through a data breach, a security lapse, or even just non-compliance — the consequences aren’t just technical. They’re reputational. They’re financial. And sometimes, they’re catastrophic.
That’s where PCI DSS comes in.
This article covers the essentials of PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), its role in protecting cardholder data, and key compliance requirements. Learn the risks of non-compliance and practical steps to enhance payment security, helping safeguard your business and customers.
What is PCI DSS?
PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It’s not a law — but for any business that stores, processes, or transmits credit or debit card information, compliance is effectively mandatory.
The standard was created in 2004 by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) — a body founded by the big five card networks: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. Their goal? Set a unified global standard for keeping cardholder data safe.
At its heart, PCI DSS is a set of best practices for protecting sensitive payment information. It covers everything from how networks are structured to how access is granted, how data is stored, and how often systems are tested.
The 12 PCI DSS requirements (in plain English)
There are 12 PCI DSS requirements that organizations must adhere to in order to ensure secure handling of payment card data.
- Install and maintain a secure network - Use firewalls and proper configurations to defend against threats.
- Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords — Replace default settings with secure configurations.
- Protect stored cardholder data — Use encryption, tokenisation, or avoid storing sensitive data when possible.
- Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open networks — Ensure sensitive data is protected during transfer.
- Protect systems against malware — Use and update antivirus software regularly.
- Develop and maintain secure systems and applications — Apply security patches to protect against vulnerabilities.
- Restrict access to cardholder data — Only allow access on a need-to-know basis.
- Identify and authenticate access to system components — Use strong access controls, including unique IDs.
- Restrict physical access to cardholder data — Secure physical locations where sensitive data is stored.
- Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data — Enable logging to maintain visibility.
- Regularly test security systems and processes — Conduct vulnerability scans and penetration testing.
- Maintain a security policy — Establish and enforce security rules that are understood across the organisation.
Which businesses need to comply?
In short: if your business touches cardholder data in any way — whether you store it, transmit it, or process it — you’re in PCI DSS territory.
But let’s narrow it down to enterprise businesses like yours. That means:
- E-commerce platforms handling thousands of card-not-present transactions a day
- Fintech companies embedding payments into their products
- Marketplaces that facilitate purchases on behalf of third parties
- Software platforms offering checkout and billing services
If any part of your infrastructure is involved in a card transaction — even indirectly — you’re responsible for compliance.
The specific obligations depend on your merchant level, which is determined by transaction volume. At the enterprise scale, you’ll likely fall into Level 1 — the strictest tier, requiring an annual on-site assessment by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), plus quarterly vulnerability scans and more.
And yes — it’s a lot.
How to reduce PCI scope and stay compliant
Now for the good news: you don’t have to do it all yourself.
One of the most important things enterprise businesses can do is reduce the scope of PCI DSS. That means limiting the parts of your environment that actually handle cardholder data, which in turn limits the amount of compliance work you need to do.
Here’s how:
1. Use tokenisation
Instead of storing actual card numbers, use tokens — randomly generated strings of characters that represent the card & payment information but have no value if stolen. You store the token, a PCI-compliant partner stores the actual data.
2. Outsource card data handling
When you partner with a PCI-compliant card issuing or processing provider, they take on the compliance burden for data they control. This can reduce your PCI DSS obligations significantly — sometimes even to a simple SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire).
3. Segment your network
Keep systems that handle cardholder data physically and logically separate from everything else. That way, a breach in one area doesn’t spread — and your compliance scope stays narrow.
Trying to manage all of this in-house isn’t just expensive. It’s risky. You’ll need dedicated security teams, ongoing assessments, and a constant watch on evolving standards — like PCI DSS 4.0, the latest version of the framework.
How Edenred Payment Solutions reduces the PCI compliance burden
It's clear that achieving and maintaining PCI DSS compliance is a major challenge for any business handling cardholder data. Edenred Payment Solutions can help reduce that burden by providing a secure, fully managed infrastructure for card issuing and payments.
Here’s how Edenred Payment Solutions simplifies compliance:
- Built-in PCI DSS compliance: Edenred Payment Solutions is a fully PCI DSS-compliant provider, so businesses that use its platform don’t need to manage the complex infrastructure, audits, or controls themselves.
- Tokenisation and secure data handling: Sensitive card data is never exposed or stored insecurely. Edenred Payment Solutions uses tokenisation and advanced security practices to minimise your PCI DSS scope.
- BIN sponsorship and issuing infrastructure: Edenred Payment Solutions issues cards under its own regulated entity, allowing clients to launch card programs without becoming directly PCI DSS compliant issuers.
- Simplified SAQ requirements: By leveraging a PCI-compliant partner like Edenred Payment Solutions, businesses often qualify for simpler Self-Assessment Questionnaires, reducing compliance overhead.
- Fully managed solution: From card issuance to transaction processing and fraud management, Edenred Payment Solutions handles all critical systems in a secure, compliant environment—so you can focus on building your product, not managing compliance.
Whether you’re launching a card program, embedding payments, or scaling a financial product, Edenred Payment Solutions makes PCI compliance one less thing to worry about.
You focus on growth. We handle PCI.
Final thoughts
PCI DSS isn’t just another box to tick. For enterprise businesses, it’s the backbone of responsible payments infrastructure. Done right, it builds trust, protects customers, and safeguards your business from the reputational and financial fallout of a breach.
And while compliance can seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be.
Partnering with a provider like Edenred Payment Solutions means you don’t have to navigate PCI DSS alone. You get robust, certified infrastructure — plus the peace of mind that comes with knowing your payment stack is built for scale and security.
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