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Free BIN Checker & Lookup

Enter the first 6 to 8 digits of a card to see its network, card type, issuing bank and country. Free, no sign-up, and we never ask for a full card number.

  • Instant result
  • No account needed
  • Only 6–8 digits
  • 8 card networks

Never enter a full card number, expiry date or CVV here.

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The basics

What is a BIN (bank identification number)?

A BIN is the first 6 to 8 digits of a debit, credit or prepaid card number. It tells the payment system which card network the card belongs to and which institution issued it, so the payment can be routed to the right bank for approval.

You will also see it called an IIN, or issuer identification number. That is the name used in the ISO/IEC 7812 standard, because not every card issuer is a bank. The two terms mean the same thing.

Every card in a range shares the same BIN, so a BIN describes the card product, not the person. The digits that follow identify the individual account, and the last digit is a check digit that catches typing mistakes.

527520XX XXXX XXXX
First digit Major industry identifier (MII) First 6–8 digits BIN / IIN: network and issuer Middle digits Individual account number Last digit Luhn check digit
Results

What a BIN lookup shows, and what it can't

A BIN check describes the card range. It never reveals anything about the cardholder or their account.

What you'll see

Card network
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, UnionPay, Diners Club or Mir.
Card type
Debit or credit, and whether the range is prepaid.
Card level
The product name, such as Classic, Gold, Platinum or Business.
Issuing bank
The institution that issued the card, where the database has it.
Country and currency
Where the card was issued and that country's currency.
Length and industry
The usual card number length for the network and what the first digit means.

What it can't tell you

  • The cardholder's name, address or any personal details
  • The full card number, expiry date or CVV
  • The account balance or credit limit
  • Whether the card is active, blocked or expired
  • Whether a particular payment will be approved

To check that a full number is typed correctly, use the card number validator, which runs the Luhn check in your browser.

How to use it

Check a BIN in three steps

  1. 1Find the first digitsRead the first 6 to 8 digits from the front of the card, or from the masked number in your banking app or a payment record.
  2. 2Enter them aboveType or paste them into the checker. Anything after the eighth digit is dropped before the lookup runs.
  3. 3Read the resultSee the network, card type, level, issuing bank and country. If the bank is unknown, the network details still come from the digits.
Reference

Card networks by their first digits

The network can be recognised from the first one to four digits alone. These are the ranges the checker uses.

BIN ranges and card lengths by network
NetworkStarts withCard length
Visa413, 16 or 19 digits
Mastercard51–55, 2221–272016 digits
American Express34, 3715 digits
Discover6011, 644–649, 6516–19 digits
JCB3528–358916–19 digits
UnionPay6216–19 digits
Diners Club36, 300–305, 38–3914–19 digits
Mir2200–220416–19 digits
What the first digit means (MII)
First digitIndustry
1–2Airlines (2 is also used by Mastercard and Mir)
3Travel and entertainment: American Express, JCB, Diners Club
4–5Banking and financial: Visa, Mastercard
6Merchandising and banking: Discover, UnionPay
7Petroleum and other future use
8Healthcare, telecoms and other future use
9Assigned by national standards bodies

Some ranges are shared through partnerships, for example Discover accepts many UnionPay and Diners Club cards, so the issuing network and the network that processes a payment can differ.

Good to know

6-digit and 8-digit BINs

For decades a BIN was six digits long. As the supply of 6-digit ranges ran low, the ISO/IEC 7812 standard was changed to allow 8-digit BINs, and Visa and Mastercard began issuing them from April 2022.

Card numbers did not get longer. The BIN simply takes two more digits from the account part of the number, and existing 6-digit BINs remain in use, so both lengths are live today.

That is why the checker accepts 6, 7 or 8 digits. Network details are read from the digits you enter, and bank and country records are matched on the first six.

6-digit BIN527520XXXXXXXXXX
8-digit BIN52752012XXXXXXXX

Same 16-digit card number, longer issuer prefix.

Use cases

Who uses a BIN checker

Online merchantsCompare the card's issuing country with the customer's billing address, shipping address and IP location. A mismatch is not proof of fraud, but it is a reason to look closer before shipping.
Payments and finance teamsSpot prepaid, commercial or foreign-issued cards, which often carry different processing fees, and understand why a group of payments was declined.Chargeback cost calculator →
CardholdersConfirm which bank and country your own card is from, or check whether a card is prepaid before using it with a merchant that has restrictions.Compare Qwikvcc cards →
Declined payments

Why a card can be declined because of its BIN

Merchants and payment providers often set rules by BIN. If your card keeps being refused at one site but works elsewhere, one of these is a likely reason:

  • Prepaid cards blocked. Some subscriptions and ad platforms refuse prepaid ranges to reduce risk.
  • Country restrictions. The merchant only accepts cards issued in certain countries, or the card country does not match your account region.
  • Currency and region. Local merchants may only accept cards that bill in their own currency.
  • Network not accepted. Not every merchant takes American Express, UnionPay, JCB or Mir.

Checking the BIN tells you which of these could apply. If you need a card from a particular network or country, every Qwikvcc card page lists its network, issuing country and currency before you buy.

Browse virtual cards

How accurate are BIN lookups?

Network, card length and industry come straight from the digits, so they are always right for the number you enter. Bank, country and card type come from the binlist.net database, a public BIN directory. Like any BIN list it can be out of date when banks merge or re-use ranges, and new ranges can be missing. For a definitive answer, the bank named on the card is the source.

Is a BIN check safe and legal?

Yes. BINs are public reference data that banks, merchants and payment providers use every day. A lookup only needs the first 6 to 8 digits, which do not identify anyone. Never share a full card number, expiry date or CVV with any lookup site, including this one.

FAQ

BIN checker questions

Can't find your answer? Our support team is happy to help.

Contact support
What is a BIN number?

A BIN (bank identification number) is the first 6 to 8 digits of a payment card number. It identifies the card network and the institution that issued the card, and usually the card type and the country it was issued in.

Is a BIN the same as an IIN?

Yes. IIN (issuer identification number) is the official name in the ISO/IEC 7812 standard. It replaced "BIN" because not every card issuer is a bank, but both terms mean the same leading digits.

Can a BIN identify the cardholder?

No. A BIN is shared by every card in that range, often thousands or millions of cards. It says nothing about the person who holds the card, the account number or the balance.

Does a BIN check tell me whether a card is valid or has funds?

No. A BIN lookup only describes the card range. To check that a number is typed correctly, use a Luhn check such as our card validator. Only the issuing bank can confirm whether a card is active and has funds, and that happens when a payment is authorised.

Why does the checker show no bank for my BIN?

Free BIN databases do not cover every range. Newly issued BINs, 8-digit BINs and some prepaid or virtual card ranges are often missing. The network, card length and industry shown by the checker still come straight from the digits.

Do you store the numbers I enter?

The checker only accepts 6 to 8 digits and only sends the first 6 to our server, never a full card number, expiry date or CVV. We keep the public bank result for that BIN so the next lookup is instant.

Can a BIN change?

Yes. Banks merge, sell card portfolios and re-use ranges, and networks are moving from 6-digit to 8-digit BINs. If a result looks out of date, the bank named on the card or statement is the reliable source.

What BIN do Qwikvcc cards use?

Each Qwikvcc card page lists the card's network, issuing country and, where available, its BIN, so you can check it here before you buy.

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