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Account Updater

Keep vaulted cards up to date and reduce failed transactions with seamless, token-based card updates with real-time or batch workflows.
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Basis Theory supports merchants who leverage card-on-file transactions or subscription billing models by allowing payment card data to be collected and securely vaulted for future transactions. However, vaulted card details can become outdated when cards are re-issued due to card expiration, account closures, lost or stolen cards, or fraud prevention.

Maintaining accurate and up-to-date card information is crucial for minimizing payment failures, reducing customer churn, and optimizing revenue. The Account Updater service enables you to keep vaulted card tokens updated with the latest information from the card networks.

Basis Theory offers two complementary Account Updater solutions:

  • Batch Account Updater for periodic bulk updates of vaulted card tokens.
  • Real-Time Account Updater for on-demand updates of individual vaulted card tokens.

Start with a Guide​

This page provides an overview of the account updater services and best practices. For hands-on implementation, refer to the guides below:

Account Updater Setup

Learn how to request access and configure Account Updater within your Basis Theory tenants.

Batch Implementation

Learn how to implement and test Batch Account Updater.

Real-Time Implementation

Learn how to do implement and test Real-Time Account Updater.

Testing Reference

Reference material for testing Batch and Real-Time Account Updater.

Overview​

Batch Account Updater​

Batch Account Updater enables bulk periodic updates to vaulted card tokens, ensuring that your stored card data remains current and valid. This service can be used to keep your entire portfolio of vaulted cards up to date, proactively updating expired cards and reducing the risk of failed transactions.

  • Bulk maintenance of vaulted card tokens.
  • Requests and responses are transmitted in batch CSV files.
  • Supports Visa, Mastercard, Discover networks for all merchants.
  • Limited support for American Express is available. Please reach out for more information.

For more detailed information, refer to the Batch Implementation guide or the API docs.

Real-Time Account Updater​

Real-Time Account Updater enables individual vaulted card tokens to be updated on demand in real-time. This service can be directly integrated into your payment flows to securely refresh card details before transacting with a PSP, improving auth rates by avoiding declines caused by account expiration or reissuances.

  • Each request updates one card token at a time.
  • Get a response in real-time via API.
  • Supports Visa and Mastercard networks.

For more detailed information, refer to the Real-Time Implementation guide or the API docs.

When to Use Batch or Real-Time​

Batch Account Updater is ideal for:

  • Recurring billing continuity: Proactively refresh vaulted cards ahead of subscription renewals to prevent declines and reduce involuntary churn. For example, identify cards scheduled for recurring charges within the next 7 to 14 days and run a batch job to update account details, ensuring seamless transactions.
  • Portfolio hygiene: Maintain the validity of stored card data across your customer base with scheduled updates. For instance, regularly update cards set to expire within the next 30 days, as issuers often provide new card details to customers, keeping your card portfolio current.
  • Pre-billing assurance: Run updates in advance of large billing events (e.g. monthly cycles) to ensure higher first-attempt success rates.

Real-Time Account Updater complements this by enabling

  • Just-in-time updates: Preemptively refresh card data before processing a payment to increase authorization success. Potential candidates here are: cards nearing expiration, high-value or critical transactions, cards with decline history, cards used by high-risk customers or dormant accounts.
  • Decline recovery: Instantly update and retry a transaction after a card is declined due to some soft decline codes (e.g. "Card expired", "Card replaced", "Stolen card", "Incorrect CVC", "Do not Honor", etc.).
  • Seamless checkout for returning users: Ensure that vaulted cards can be charged without friction, even if a card has recently changed.

The choice between Batch and Real-Time Account Updater solutions isn’t mutually exclusive — many organizations benefit by using both in tandem. Batch ensures your stored cards are regularly refreshed ahead of billing events, while Real-Time acts as a safety net for last-minute updates and decline recovery. Together, they maximize payment success, reduce customer friction, and create a resilient, revenue-optimized payments strategy.