My chase sapphire card number was stolen while on vacation out of the country before covid. Reported the fraudulent charges and got a new card and number.

Recurring subscriptions transferred for about 12 months then I had to update the card number.

I’m not a payments expert but presumably the subscription is tied to some authorization and not necessarily the number itself.

Not really. If you authorized a recurring charge, it isn't unauthorized, and you are liable. Most people want recurring charges to continue. Just because you lose your card doesn't mean you want to forget paying your phone bill or something. Merchant disputes are a thing, but they are not the same as an unauthorized charge.

As long as the recurring charge wasn't created while the card was lost/stolen, what's the problem?