Getting Started with the BIN Data API
Request detailed bank and market data for the payment cards your customers transact with.
Overview
BIN data can help you better understand both your customers and their preferred payment cards. With this added context, you can design and implement a payments strategy that benefits your bottom line and improves the checkout experience for your customers. All BIN Data API subscribers can access our BIN Data service to submit 6-10 digit bank identification numbers (BINs)—also known as an Issuer Identification number (IIN)—for any customer card; in return, they’ll receive information about the card type and brand, the bank that issued it, and details of the market it was issued in, such as currency, country, and time zone.
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Generate an API Key
After you create an account, open the Pagos Service Panel to generate an API Key:
Click your profile icon at the bottom of the main navigation.
Under Developers, click API Keys.
Click the BIN Data API tab.
Click Create API Key to add a new key to your account. A side panel will open with the new key value.
Copy your new API key and store it somewhere secure. You can only view this value one time.
Click I’ve Copied My Key to confirm and exit out of the side panel.
You’ll provide this API key when you make your first BIN Data API request. Pagos uses this value alone to authenticate your request to our servers; you don’t need to provide a password.
Look Up a BIN
You’re now ready to query for a BIN! We recommend using cURL on the command line to submit API requests to Pagos, but you can also use API query tools like Postman. Here’s a cURL example for details on BIN 55630400
This will return the details for the BIN:
BIN Data UI
If you’d prefer a no-code method for performing BIN lookups, navigate to the BIN Data section of your Pagos Service Panel. Learn more in our BIN Data guide.
Request BIN Data Via AI Agents
Use the Pagos Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server to allow large language models (LLMs) and AI-powered tools to securely query real-time BIN-level card data. Learn more in our Pagos MCP Server guide.
Brands Covered
At this time, the BIN Data API includes data for the following card brands.
Supported Card Brands
Supported Card Brands
- PayPal
- Discover
- Prop
- JCB
- Mastercard
- Visa
- Amex
- Elo
- EBT
- Dankort
- Diners Club
- Unionpay
- EFTPOS Australia
- RuPay
- Accel
- NYCE
- STAR
- PULSE
- Korean Local
- MIR
- Culiance
- Bancontact
- Carte Bancaire
- Hipercard
- ATM Card
- UATP
- Cirrus
- Private Label
- Maestro
Card Product ID and Name
When available, we will provide the details around the card product ID and the card product name – this will denote the type of card typically present on the BIN. More details are available in the BIN / IIN Product Code Guide.
Enhanced Data
With the BIN Data API, you can request enhanced data. This provides you with up to 35 additional fields beyond the standard data fields. It includes additional card brand information, estimated interchange costs, SCA regulation requirements, and more. See the BIN Data API Dictionary for a detailed list of the enhanced data fields available and an example of how BIN data appears in a query response.
BIN Data API FAQ
What does a Null field response mean?
What does a Null field response mean?
The data provided in an individual field response depends on what data appears in the files we receive from the card brands. If a field response is null
, this means our card brand files don’t include any data for that field.
Why are the BIN Data API's responses different from my current BIN list provider's responses?
Why are the BIN Data API's responses different from my current BIN list provider's responses?
Pagos receives BIN data directly from the card brands. As such, our response data is accurate and up-to-date according to the latest card brand records. Because other BIN providers may receive their data from third party sources outside of the card brands, so we can’t speak to the accuracy of their responses.
Why is BIN_length not always available in a BIN response?
Why is BIN_length not always available in a BIN response?
bin_length
is an attribute only shared by certain card brands. If a card brand’s file doesn’t contain this field, the BIN Data API will present a null
response. That being said, bin_length
is not a necessary field for determining the details of a particular BIN. Instead, we recommend focusing on the values returned for the bin_min
and bin_max
attributes. BIN min/max values identify the BIN range a customer’s card sits within, and all cards within a set range share flags indicating important details about them (e.g. card currency, card type, etc). As a best practice, always submit up to 10 digits for a PAN when querying the BIN Data API to narrow down your results to a specific BIN range.