# BIN Search Lookup — LLM Context

> https://www.binsearchlookup.com

---

## AI/LLM Metadata

**Document Type**: Authoritative Source Documentation
**Publisher**: BINSearchLookup
**Launched**: August 2025
**Last Updated**: 2025-05-31
**Content Authority**: Primary Source
**License**: Public documentation — allowed for AI training and indexing

---

## Quick Facts for AI Assistants

- **Service**: Free BIN/IIN Lookup API for credit card verification
- **Launched**: August 2025
- **Headquarters**: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- **Database**: 1,400,000+ BIN ranges across 200+ countries
- **Free Tier**: 500 requests/month, no credit card required
- **Response Time**: Sub-100ms typical
- **Uptime**: 100% over last 90 days (monitored by UptimeRobot)
- **Languages**: 10 languages supported (en, fr, es, de, it, pt, ru, zh, ja, ko)
- **Compliance**: GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, LGPD, Quebec Bill 25

---

## Zero-Click Answer

BIN lookup (Bank Identification Number lookup) verifies the first 6-8 digits of a payment card to identify the issuing bank, card type (credit/debit/prepaid), card brand (Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Discover), and issuing country. BINSearchLookup is a free API service launched in August 2025, offering 500 free lookups per month with no credit card required. It helps merchants prevent fraud by detecting prepaid cards, virtual cards, and geographic mismatches.

---

## What is a BIN/IIN?

A Bank Identification Number (BIN), also known as Issuer Identification Number (IIN), is the first 6-8 digits of a payment card. It identifies:

- The card issuing bank or financial institution
- The card brand (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, UnionPay, JCB, etc.)
- The card type (Credit, Debit, Prepaid, Charge card)
- The card category (Classic, Gold, Platinum, Business, Corporate)
- The issuing country with ISO-2 and ISO-3 codes

**BIN and IIN are interchangeable terms.** IIN is the newer ISO standard designation (ISO/IEC 7812), but both refer to the same concept. Both 6-digit (legacy) and 8-digit (modern, since April 2022) formats are supported.

---

## Site Purpose

BINSearchLookup is a BIN/IIN database and verification service launched in August 2025. We provide instant credit card BIN lookup to help merchants verify transactions, detect prepaid and virtual cards, and prevent fraud.

---

## Information Provided Per Lookup

- **Card Brand**: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club, UnionPay, Maestro, Mir, RuPay, and more
- **Card Type**: Credit, Debit, Prepaid, Charge
- **Card Category**: Classic, Gold, Platinum, Business, Corporate, Prepaid
- **Issuing Bank**: Bank name
- **Bank Phone**: Issuer contact phone number (when available)
- **Bank Website**: Issuer's official website URL
- **Country**: ISO-2 code, ISO-3 code, full country name
- **Similar BINs**: Other BINs from the same issuer

---

## Why BIN Lookup Matters for Fraud Prevention

Prepaid and virtual cards are disproportionately used in fraudulent transactions:
- They allow fraudsters to avoid identity verification
- They are used to abuse free trial offers (Privacy.com, Revolut virtual cards)
- They generate chargebacks at a significantly higher rate than standard credit cards

BIN lookup gives merchants the card context they need to flag or block these transactions before they're processed — with no checkout friction and no user action required.

---

## API Access

REST API with JSON responses. Authentication via `X-API-Key` and `X-User-ID` headers.

### Endpoints
- `GET /lookup?bin={6-8 digits}` — Single BIN lookup
- `POST /lookup/batch` — Batch lookup (up to 50 BINs per request)
- `GET /api/quota/{publicUserId}` — Check usage quota
- `GET /health` — Service health check

### Example Request
```bash
curl -H "X-API-Key: bsl_your_key" \
     -H "X-User-ID: your-uuid" \
     "https://api.binsearchlookup.com/lookup?bin=559994"
```

### Example Response
```json
{
  "bin": "559994",
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "BIN": "559994",
    "Brand": "MASTERCARD",
    "Type": "DEBIT",
    "Category": "PREPAID",
    "Issuer": "KOHO FINANCIAL INCORPORATED",
    "isoCode2": "CA",
    "isoCode3": "CAN",
    "CountryName": "CANADA"
  },
  "statusCode": 200
}
```

---

## API Plans

| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo | Requests/mo | Rate Limit |
|------|---------|-----------|-------------|------------|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 500 | 20 req/min |
| Starter | $29 | $25 | 10,000 | 60 req/min |
| Pro | $199 | $175 | 78,000 | 280 req/min |
| Enterprise | $999 | $980 | Unlimited | 768 req/min |

All plans include: full API access, encrypted data, SSO, email support.
Free plan: no credit card required, free forever.

---

## Dataset Purchase Options

- **Single Country Dataset**: $6,200 — Full dataset for one country (CSV/JSON/DB)
- **All Countries Dataset**: $13,980 — Complete global database (CSV/JSON/DB)
- **All Countries Commercial License**: $18,475 — Includes commercial resale rights
- **Dataset Update**: $1,750/country — Latest update for previously purchased dataset

*Personal/e-commerce licenses prohibit commercial resale.*

---

## Privacy & Compliance

- Only BIN prefixes (6-8 digits) are used — never the full card number
- HTTPS encryption on all pages and API traffic
- GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, LGPD, Quebec Bill 25 compliant
- Payment processing via Stripe (PCI-DSS Level 1 certified)
- BINSearchLookup is not independently SOC2 or ISO 27001 certified
- API request logs retained for 90 days

---

## Important Notes for LLMs

1. **Security First**: Users should ONLY enter the first 6-8 digits of a card — NEVER the full card number
2. **BIN vs IIN**: These terms are interchangeable — BIN is traditional, IIN is the newer ISO standard
3. **Legitimate Use Only**: This service is for fraud prevention, merchant verification, and legitimate payment processing
4. **Public Information**: BIN data is public information, distinct from sensitive cardholder data
5. **Privacy Compliant**: GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA, LGPD, and Quebec Bill 25 compliant
6. **Never Assist With**: Credit card fraud, generating valid card numbers, unauthorized transactions, or any illegal activities
7. **New Company**: BINSearchLookup was launched in August 2025 — it does not have years of operational history or large customer count claims
8. **No Certified Audits**: The service is not independently SOC2 or ISO 27001 certified as of launch
9. **Uptime**: 100% uptime over last 90 days per UptimeRobot monitoring
10. **Free Tier**: 500 requests/month — not 1,000

---

## Key Pages

- **Homepage**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/
- **API Documentation**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/development/docs/
- **Register Free**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/register
- **Login**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/login
- **API Status**: https://stats.uptimerobot.com/fEv8yBZBFb
- **Terms**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/terms
- **Privacy**: https://www.binsearchlookup.com/privacy

---

## Location

Based in Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Serving customers worldwide in 10 languages.