The most common BINs and what they mean.
Every card number opens with digits that identify the network and the issuing bank long before the account itself. This page ranks the prefixes that appear most often across the directory and explains how to read a card from its first six digits.
Last updated 1 August 2026
Publicly documented issuer ranges
Unique two-digit opening ranges
Banks and fintechs in the directory
24.2% of tracked ranges
Most common BIN prefixes
Tracked ranges grouped by their first two digits. The pattern here mirrors the networks: prefixes opening with 4 belong to Visa, 51–55 to Mastercard, and 34 or 37 to American Express.
- 145xxxx824.2%
Visa · 6 issuers
- 254xxxx515.2%
Mastercard · 5 issuers
- 352xxxx39.1%
Mastercard · 3 issuers
- 437xxxx26.1%
American Express · 1 issuer
- 541xxxx26.1%
Visa · 2 issuers
- 644xxxx26.1%
Visa · 2 issuers
- 748xxxx26.1%
Visa · 2 issuers
- 849xxxx26.1%
Visa · 2 issuers
- 953xxxx26.1%
Mastercard · 2 issuers
- 1035xxxx13.0%
JCB · 1 issuer
- 1142xxxx13.0%
Visa · 1 issuer
- 1243xxxx13.0%
Visa · 1 issuer
- 1346xxxx13.0%
Visa · 1 issuer
- 1455xxxx13.0%
Mastercard · 1 issuer
Which networks those prefixes belong to
The same ranges grouped by card network, with the opening digits each network is allocated.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Common BINs by card type
How tracked ranges divide between credit, debit and prepaid products.
- 1Credit2369.7%
- 2Debit927.3%
- 3Prepaid13.0%
The anatomy of a card number
A payment card number is not random. It is a structured identifier laid out to a shared standard, which is why any processor anywhere can read a card it has never seen before and know instantly how to handle it.
The opening digit sets the industry. The first six to eight digits form the Bank Identification Number, which maps to one specific issuer. The digits after that identify the individual account, and the very last digit is a checksum that validates the whole number using the Luhn algorithm.
- Digit 1 — the Major Industry Identifier: 3 for travel and entertainment networks, 4 and 5 for banking and finance, 6 for merchandising.
- Digits 1–6 (or 1–8) — the BIN, identifying the issuing bank, country, currency and product tier.
- Middle digits — the individual account identifier assigned by the issuer.
- Final digit — a Luhn check digit that catches mistyped numbers before the request is ever sent.
Opening ranges by network
Each network is allocated its own opening digits, and these never overlap. That is what lets a checkout page display the right card logo as soon as you have typed four or five digits, without contacting anyone.
- Visa — always starts with 4, typically 16 digits.
- Mastercard — 51 to 55 in the classic range, plus the newer 2221 to 2720 range, always 16 digits.
- American Express — 34 or 37, always 15 digits.
- Discover — 6011, 644 to 649 or 65, 16 to 19 digits.
- JCB — 3528 to 3589, 16 to 19 digits.
- Diners Club — 300 to 305, 36 or 38, 14 to 19 digits.
Methodology
Prefix frequencies are computed automatically from Kripicard's curated BIN directory of 33 publicly documented issuer ranges. The ranking describes how often each prefix appears in that reference sample — it is not a measure of how many cards are in circulation on each range, and it is not a complete list of every allocated BIN. The network opening ranges listed above are fixed standards set by the card schemes and apply universally. Single-card lookups in the Kripicard BIN tool query a live database at request time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common BIN prefix?
In Kripicard's directory the 45xxxx range is the most frequently occurring prefix, covering 8 of 33 tracked ranges. Prefixes beginning with 4 are the most common overall because every Visa card in the world starts with that digit.
What do the first digits of a card number mean?
The first digit is the Major Industry Identifier, which identifies the broad sector — 4 and 5 are banking and finance, 3 covers travel and entertainment networks such as Amex, Diners and JCB. The first six to eight digits together form the BIN, which identifies the specific issuing institution.
Is a BIN six or eight digits?
Both are in use. BINs were historically six digits, but the card networks moved to eight-digit issuer identification to expand available numbering. Most lookup tools accept six to eight digits, and Kripicard's lookup works with either.
Can two banks share the same BIN?
No. A BIN is allocated to a single issuing institution by the card network, so a given range maps to exactly one issuer. Different products from that issuer may sit on different BINs, but a BIN is never shared between two banks.
Are BIN numbers confidential?
No. BINs are public issuer metadata — they identify a bank and a product type, not a person. They contain no cardholder information. The remaining digits of a card number are what must be protected.
Why does a merchant care about my BIN?
Processors read the BIN to route the payment, calculate interchange, apply fraud rules and decide whether the card is eligible. Merchants that block prepaid cards or restrict payments to certain countries make that call from the BIN before authorisation.
More BIN statistics
Check what any BIN resolves to
Paste the first six to eight digits of a card number to see the network, issuing bank, country, currency and card type.
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