A system and method for facilitating a financial transaction over a network including use of a passphrase account identifier is described herein. In one embodiment, a system for facilitating a financial transaction over a network comprises a communication interface; and a payment provider system configured to receive via the communication interface a passphrase account identifier from a merchant system, match the passphrase account identifier to a corresponding funding instrument number of a corresponding funding instrument, communicate the corresponding funding instrument number to an issuer system, receive from the issuer system a notification indication of one of acceptance of the funding instrument or decline of the funding instrument, and communicate back to the merchant system the notification indication.