REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 6, 2023 – The U.S. Payments Forum today unveiled an industry resource that seeks to simplify and improve the PINless debit implementation process across the payments landscape. This is achieved by identifying example transaction flows for EMV PINless debit processing, defining key terms related to the payment process, and pinpointing additional considerations for its implementation. The white paper is available for free on the Forum’s website.
Members of the Forum created the resource after observing barriers to entry among certain industry sectors. For example, retailers in petroleum and hospitality who use a dual-message schema (i.e., a pre-authorization followed by a transaction completion) have seen limited adoption, and many others in the payment ecosystem have struggled with implementing U.S. Common Debit AID PINless debit.
Current implementations of PINless debit are primarily in retail verticals where merchants want to reduce friction and decrease transaction time for consumers in the checkout experience while maintaining routing choice. Some examples include quick service restaurants (QSRs) and retailers with smaller transaction amounts.
The overall objective of this document is to address potential obstacles to PINless debit implementation in the U.S. by:
Increasing the consistency of PINless EMV debit transaction processing across all stakeholder groups, including payment networks, acquiring processors, and POS or other technology providers
Maintaining the merchant’s ability to selectively route debit transactions to all eligible debit networks on the card
Avoiding/minimizing any negative impacts to the consumer/cardholder experience
Providing guidance that can serve as an educational resource for Forum members and that reflects the Forum’s subject-matter expertise and value to the payment ecosystem at large
The white paper was developed through collaborative efforts from the Debit Routing and Petroleum Working Committees, with participation from additional Forum members. Organizations, associations, government agencies, and individuals interested in participating in the development of future white papers can visit the Forum’s website to learn about Forum membership. By joining the U.S. Payments Forum, members will also have access to broader activities within the Secure Technology Alliance and its affiliated organizations. For membership levels, benefits and the application, visit: https://www.uspaymentsforum.org/membership/membership-benefits/
About the U.S. Payments Forum
The U.S. Payments Forum is a cross-industry body that brings stakeholders together on neutral ground to enable efficient, timely and effective implementation of emerging and existing payment technologies. This is achieved through education, guidance and alternative paths to adoption. The Forum is the only non-profit organization whose membership includes the whole payments ecosystem, ensuring that all stakeholders have the opportunity to coordinate, cooperate on and have a voice in the future of the U.S. payments industry. The organization operates within the Secure Technology Alliance, an association that encompasses all aspects of secure digital technologies.
About the Secure Technology Alliance
The Secure Technology Alliance is the digital security industry’s premier association. Through its U.S. Payments Forum, Identity and Access Forum and its collaborative working groups, the Alliance fosters open dialogue among industry stakeholders to explore and develop secure technology innovations in the payments, identity and access markets. By collaborating on education and guidance, the Alliance helps enable efficient, timely and effective implementation of large-scale, disruptive technologies. For more information, please visit https://www.securetechalliance.org.