Data can be protected in a centralized tokenization environment. A request to tokenize sensitive data is received by an endpoint. A token for use in tokenizing the sensitive data is identified. A token certificate store is queried for a token certificate associated with the identified token. The token certificate can include a token status and use rules describing a permitted use of the token. Responsive to the token certificate store storing the queried token certificate, the endpoint tokenizes the sensitive data using the identified token if the token status indicates the token is available, and subject to the use rules included in the token certificate being satisfied. The token certificate is updated based on the tokenization of the sensitive data with the identified token and stored at the token certificate store.