<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/banner1251.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="pzkn5bsd" width="100%" height="356">A crowded building with people spending a lot of hours in a queue to get their service done – this is almost everyone’s idea about the term “Bank.” But now, it looks suave after an upgrade with a fresh look.Gone are the days when people spent a day getting their banking service done. After the great technological innovation, traditional banking is no longer considered a troubling word. Several advancements acted as a trigger for the players like fintech companies and other third-party service providers (TPSP) to cause a paradigm shift that posed a challenge to traditional banks.<h2 class="heading-node" id="kqq3yw2uf">What does Banking as a Service mean?</h2>Simply put, Banking as a Service (BaaS) is an end-to-end process that involves FinTechs and other third-party service providers(TPSP) to access the bank’s financial services through <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">APIs</a> for offering a different and personalized financial approach to their customers.<h2 class="heading-node" id="83d7">Banking as a Service - The Bonanza</h2>Over the years, banks provided financial services to their customers using rudimentary infrastructure. But now, many tech-savvy banks evolving around have pushed every bank to upgrade their services to maintain their lifetime value. To meet this rising demand, FinTech comes into play by integrating their white-labeled services by accessing the bank’s APIs.Looks like banks were on a ride of a lifetime to the technological planet with many advancements at fore. One such advancement is Banking as a Service. It is a business model which plays a crucial role in strengthening the customer base with the help of fintechs that provide innovative financial assistance to the bank. Banking as a Service pioneers a huge window of opportunities for digital banking and rockets the revenue.As<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/embedded-finance-101-the-bridge-connecting-tech-and-financial-services/"> embedded finance</a> is treasured and demanded by many NBFCs, software companies, and logistic firms, BaaS has gained popularity and is now ubiquitous for bringing promising financial features for their customers and even escalates their revenue growth.Predominantly, fintech start-ups have come up in large numbers. They target banks to promote and promulgate their business by offering innovative products and services. The fintech sector collaborates with banks to gain rapid acceptance by the customers to provide loans, cards, deposits, insurance, make payments, and many trusted financial services.<h2 class="heading-node" id="e682">The Working Mechanism of BaaS</h2>Banking as a Service works on providing trendier products than ever to customers with a more qualified user experience. The pandemic skyrocketed the demand for payment digital apps. Amidst the chaos, these contactless payments created a brighter picture by providing ease of use while staying indoors.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-7-9.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="49t76cu8b" width="100%" height="284">There are two ways to carry Banking as a Service seamlessly.<h3 class="heading-node" id="6785">API- based stack</h3>With API’s intervention, FinTechs and other third-party service providers (TPSP) can help banks offer customers a transparent, smooth, and customized financial service along with the existing banking services. Customers feel a better user experience when providers synchronize and connect with the bank’s tools and services. Simplified money flows are now possible with very few clicks for the customer.The fintechs are given secured access to banking services followed by integrating bank’s APIs with the provider’s products to further execute seamless white-label banking services using upgraded technology. They strictly abide by the rules and regulations in carrying out the bank’s data safely using top-notch security systems like PCA.<h3 class="heading-node" id="b6e9">Cloud-based stack</h3>Here, the licensed tech companies operate as regulated banks to offer the services by pushing the traditional banks to the inoperative section in this play by redefining their stacks to cloud sections.<h2 class="heading-node" id="0ecf">The Three-Layered Structure of BaaS</h2><ol class="list-node" id="1ye58bqfe"><li>Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) includes the basic financial services provided by the traditional banks through an IaaS provider.</li><li>Banking as a Platform (BaaP) is placed above IaaS, which includes the customized services offered for fintech start-ups and companies. The data carried out between the banks and fintechs are monitored securely as data security is concerned.</li><li>FinTech SaaS — Here, the fintech companies which offer financial services interact with the end-users to carry out the data or requests and sends it back to BaaP securely.</li></ol><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-10-3.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="k6nerr46b" width="100%" height="284"><h2 class="heading-node" id="80d9">Evolution of Banking</h2>This era has witnessed the massive emergence of tech-savvy banks. One such popular emergence is the&nbsp;<a class="link au js" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/neo-banking-the-rise-of-new-age-banking/" rel="noopener">Neo Banks</a>. They are digital banks that operate only online with the help of artificial intelligence, machine learning technologies, and <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-world-of-apis-how-they-power-fintech/">APIs</a>. Cost-efficient, convenient, and user-friendly interface are what makes them stand out. Neo banks partner with traditional banks to digitally offer services from opening a bank account to money transfers/bill payments 24x7.FinTechs play a crucial role by building their innovative infrastructure on top of it, making the Neo Banks more popular. Banking as a Service is the backbone of Neo Banks as they are dependent on APIs and other crucial financial services they offer.We take pride in the fact that <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">M2P</a> powers&nbsp;Finin, India’s first neo bank with our APIs that enables instant provision of user’s bank account and prepaid cards.<h2 class="heading-node" id="ka11sfo39">Types of BaaS Providers</h2>BaaS providers can be classified into three models based on their purpose.<ul class="list-node" id="knjzk1ypi"><li>API Stores&nbsp;— Traditional banks open their API for fintechs and other TPSPs to incorporate their innovative bank services for customers.</li></ul>Services offered: eKYC, beneficiary validation, remittance, inquiry, etc.<ul class="list-node" id="dcdqfn7c5"><li>White-Label Platform&nbsp;— Companies that don’t carry a license can also approach fintechs and other TPSPs to offer their white-labeled service. But, in India, a license is a must to carry out this model.</li></ul>Services offered: Digital banking &amp; cards, lending, blockchain, payments, etc.<ul class="list-node" id="ikgg6uif1"><li>BaaS as Co-branding&nbsp;— The fintechs or neo banks carry their appearance in the forefront for the traditional banks to offer their effective services.</li></ul>Services offered: Banking &amp; Cards, Integrated payment gateway, etc.<h2 class="heading-node" id="b3e1">Open Banking vs. Banking as a Service</h2>Let us elucidate the long-haul confusion between <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/open-banking-a-primer-2/">Open Banking</a> and Banking as a Service. In a nutshell, the usage of APIs by fintechs determines the difference between these two.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/1_PMHIFWMQVSCmoFwYkpGQkg.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="fcg7dxzxw" width="100%" height="181"><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/06/Artboard-1-copy-11-2.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="9n9mxbvuv" width="100%" height="284"><h2 class="heading-node" id="c3d7">Benefits of Banking as a Service</h2>Nowadays, fintech start-ups shine with their innovative ideas and serve any financial need, making banks powerful. The mobile-first approach and everyday emerging digital advancements made Banking as a Platform a successful one in the industry. Also, the transparency and ease of use foster the growth of open banking by quickly nearing the go-to-market reach.Banking as a Service is the new evolution for both traditional banks and fintech sectors. The traditional banks who are smarter enough in adapting to the digital era can attain profitable accomplishments. They are forced to attract more young clients with their newer technologies and methodologies in financial services. For instance, the traditional banks can now collaborate with third-party service providers to expand their services like vehicle insurance, lending, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/remittance-with-upi-a-giant-leap-for-cross-border-payments/">remittance</a>, rewards, currency exchange, and many more.Many banks’ go-to option is now BaaS since they cannot remodel their infrastructure for back-end, front-end development and give a more product-centric approach as fintechs do. Banks prefer it is better to approach fintechs and TPSPs rather than making a huge investment building in-house.With banking service as a platform, it is simpler to launch and integrate banking features with the magic wand called <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-world-of-apis-how-they-power-fintech/">API</a>.To make the long story short, BaaS is the savior for many banks, non-financial companies, and customers.Yes! We all have the same thought. The future holds more for banking.We can conclude that it will always be a money-spinning venture as fintechs and banks follow the collaborative way of doing business to produce more innovative services to their customers. Without a shadow of a doubt, the journey of Banking as a Service had just started, and we have a lot more to witness together.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Banking as a Service - Redefining Financial Services

<blockquote class="block-node" id="l59nir9cq">How Covid-19 Pandemic shaped the Remittance sector in the year 2020?</blockquote><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com//m2p-website-file/marekting-cms/m2p-blog/2025/05/Upward-spiral.webp" alt="Upward Spiral" title="" id="agehfg19l" width="100%" height="358">When the ongoing Pandemic hit in 2020, the World Bank and other agencies predicted a substantial fall in the <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/remittance-with-upi-a-giant-leap-for-cross-border-payments/">global remittance</a>. This fall would have done sufficient damages to the domestic finances of South Asian nations like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The first four countries observe maximum outward remittance from the GCC region, and as we were present in the region (HQ at Abu Dhabi), we thought of doing an analysis.We collected data from various sources and what we found was an extraordinary Story of the Upward Spiral in Remittance in the year 2020. The facts and figures we collected, pointed towards growth in outward remittance from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Further, as brick-and-mortar stores saw closure due to the pandemic, growing remittance gave a level playing field for the rising Fintechs in the region. Read on to know more.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-3.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="t2yql5oox" width="100%" height="1466"><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="hc3yiy8pk" width="100%" height="1212"><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-2.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="kszqc4ge3" width="100%" height="2066"><a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Upward Spiral In Remittance - 2020

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/04/banner1251-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="3l3vpjt7z" width="100%" height="661">The size of the Fintech market via <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/embedded-finance-101-the-bridge-connecting-tech-and-financial-services/">Embedded Finance</a> — embedded insurance, embedded lending, and embedded payments is going to be 400 lakh crores in the next 10 years.”- The Economic TimesLending has existed since civilization started. Mankind has borrowed for various reasons: seeds, animals, currencies, jewels, mortgages, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/credit-card-processing-a-definitive-guide/">credit cards</a>, and digital.Embedded Lending or embedded credit is the latest in the line receiving the spotlight. Being an active subject of debate, many businesses believe embedded lending can increase their revenue by 5x. This article summarizes the story of Embedded <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/credit-risk-model-for-unbanked-last-mile-lending-enablement/">Lending</a> and its potential to bridge the gap between businesses, lenders, and the end customer.<h1 class="heading-node" id="b347" style="text-align: justify">What is Embedded Lending?</h1>When lending (a financial service) is offered through non-financial products/services (retail or food delivery app), it is called Embedded Lending.As the name suggests, a financial service is embedded into a non-financial service, thereby removing the need for using third parties. The embedding is invisible and offers a seamless lending experience to the users in a few clicks. It saves the costly infrastructure as it happens at the backend with simple <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/api-the-power-that-drives-new-age-banking-ecosystems/">API</a> calls.The entire lending ecosystem now becomes light as the reliability of many participants like a lender, banking institutions are reduced. <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/credit-risk-model-for-unbanked-last-mile-lending-enablement/">Credit risks</a> are almost zero as the lender has access to the customer’s credit history and spending pattern. Based on these analytics, the lender can set the amount to be disbursed as a loan. They can further use these analytics to offer attractive rewards as an incentive. It also narrows down the gap between businesses and consumers.Furthermore, legacy lending processes slow down the business cycle in many ways such as:Time-consuming&nbsp;— Businesses borrow for starting a new branch, upscaling, delivering bulk orders, etc. At times, they need loans to fulfill their unexpected short-term revenue shortcomings and to improve their credit score for troubled-free future loan processing. Businesses cannot hold their orders for a long time till they are approved of the loan. By the time they are credited, the deal would be in the air.Lengthy processing&nbsp;— The concept of lending is believed to be forbidden or rather daunting as it involves complex and lengthy processes. Documentation, verification, underwriting, sanction, payment management consumes huge manual labor and time.<blockquote class="block-node" id="s9q4njppz">“Consumers prefer to accomplish their financial tasks through their digital channels.” -Forrester</blockquote>Change in customer preferences-&nbsp;The emergence of mobile devices changed the consumer’s buying and transaction channels. While the businesses want their customers to stick to their platform till they buy the product, consumers prefer to complete their payments, lending, or availing no-cost EMI options in the same platform digitally.Competitive advantage&nbsp;— It’s vital for businesses to stay abreast in the market. Any business that adopts the latest innovative features are deemed to be the top-rated services/products.Physical verification needs- Traditional lending requires the applicant to walking to the investor’s office or a banking institution with physical proofs and certificates. Each bank has its set of procedures. It takes substantial manual efforts and energy. A small error, say a spelling mistake can take another month for the applicant to prove genuine.Pandemic constraints&nbsp;— The government’s curfew measures to contain the pandemic or face any unprecedented challenges fostered the businesses to navigate their operations indoors.Embedded Lending alleviates these shortcomings, and it is an incremental leap on <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/digital-lending-open-credit-enablement-network/">digital lending</a>.<img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/700/1*oFtzR5QA7SUN0aQ90NYp0w.png" alt="Features of Embedded Lending" title="" width="100%" height="350"><h1 class="heading-node" id="cae7" style="text-align: justify">A practical example of Embedded Lending</h1>Geeth is an aspiring fashion designer. She started selling handcrafted sarees online with Flipper. As an effect of her hard work and unique designs, more customers began buying her products. Geeth realized it’s time for her to replenish her inventory but her cashflow was not sufficient. One day, she received an invitation to the&nbsp;Flipper Lending&nbsp;program.Geeth grabbed the opportunity without any second thoughts. She logged into the Flipper seller central to know her available loan limit. She applied for a $20,000 loan, which she can repay within 12 months at an interest rate minimum than the banks. Within 5 business days, her account is credited with the money. Geeth’s brand flashed in the top seller’s list.Thanks to Embedded Lending.<h1 class="heading-node" id="c6ef" style="text-align: justify">Why this process is much easier than the traditional route of lending?</h1>● Geeth never has to run to a banking institution, check her credit scores, search for a liability, wait for the underwriting process completion or leverage her assets.● The entire process — loan application, verification and approval, credit, repayment is digital. Geeth can get her loan with a few clicks.● Interest rates are comparatively minimal than banks.● Flipper Lending is an invitation-only program. It verifies the seller’s eligibility criteria like Geeths’s annual selling history, customer complaints and copyrights infringement history of 6 months, etc., before inviting. This ensures Flipper the seller’s ability to repay.● Repayments are automatically deducted at fixed rates every month from Geeth’s account while Geeth can focus on her designs and sales● Geeth never has to postpone her dreams for the sake of money.● Both Flipper and Geeth can enjoy increased revenue, and steady stream of customers.<h1 class="heading-node" id="fc8f" style="text-align: justify">How Embedded Lending helps businesses?</h1><blockquote class="block-node" id="i8ao12ft0">“Credit card penetrations in India remains 59% although 800 million have a bank account.”-Economic Times</blockquote>Embedded Loans aims to facilitate the end-user (consumer or business) to avail of financial service as and when required. It can be applied to many fields, such asE-commerce Website challenges:Shopping cart abandonment, where the customers leave the site before buying products in the cart, is a headache for eCommerce businesses. Although there are many reasons, insufficient cash at the moment stands on top. Embedded lending alleviates this with Point of Sale credit providers. This increases the consumer buying rates, which in turn increases the profits.Tackling cash flow of Small Businesses:One of the biggest challenges small businesses struggle to tackle is their cash flow. They can harness this credit method to drive their business. With Embedded Lending, SMBs can utilize every opportunity they come across, like buying raw materials required for a large manufacturing order without worrying about the capital.Simplifying loan processes:Embedded Lending can also assist in processing education loans. A student can apply for a loan with a few clicks while taking his online certification courses. He can easily link his bank account, fetching his registered details from RBI (Reserve Bank of India)/ or a respected country’s regulatory body. He/she can pay her loans at once they are placed.Non-financial service providers incorporate Embedded Lending on top of their core services. The application process is simple, and the daily rewards are attractive. Technologies like Face ID and Touch ID ensure the end consumers’ security and privacy who avail themselves of the credits.Further, Embedded Loans can make businesses go cashless in the near future, provided all the cybersecurity and regulatory needs are satisfied.<h3 class="heading-node" id="s63ynjwut" style="text-align: justify">Conclusion</h3>Financial services are no longer seen as a standalone domain. It has now become the kith and kin of all the businesses that focus on sales. The synergy between financial services and non-financial services is phenomenal, helping every stakeholder enjoy the benefits. With the facts discussed above, Embedded Lending is indeed a noteworthy Fintech innovation every business should leverage.To know more about embedded credit write to us at business@m2pfintech.com.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Beginner’s Guide to Embedded Lending

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-8-14.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="284">Say hello to our employee of the month, Narasimman. He manages <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">M2P</a> tech infrastructure end-to-end and is responsible for banks, networks and InfoSec functioning smoothly and safely.<h2 class="heading-node" id="piaxdbmbx">Hi Narasimman! Tell us something about yourself?</h2>Hi! I’m a very jovial person but I know many people think I am short-tempered! However, the only thing I get very passionate about is work. I love what I do and I’m in a very happy place. I used to be a cricketer and volleyball player in my younger days.<h2 class="heading-node" id="001a">What drew you to M2P?</h2>I was involved with M2P before as a service provider and did Hardware security mechanism (HSM) implementation at M2P’s Data center. So, I had a very good working relationship with them prior to joining. My expertise in HSM was noted by Prabhu, our cofounder and he offered me a position. Also, I felt that I can better contribute here and grow as a seasoned professional.Prabhu was very encouraging and gave me many opportunities like implementing Mastercard and Visa hardware implementation single-handedly. I also learnt many new things about infrastructure and Information Security along with Data Center Management. His trust in me was crucial to my decision to join the <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">M2P</a> family.<h2 class="heading-node" id="9145">What is your professional motto?</h2>To love what I do. Everything I do, I make sure I have fun with it. Be it sport, farming or my job in networking and security, I don’t see them as tasks or chores but as enjoyable activities.<h2 class="heading-node" id="d2f9">What are some of your memorable experiences here at M2P?</h2>Bank audit and PCI-DSS audit helped me learn the ropes of the industry. I familiarized myself with the rules and regulations over a period of six months. Along the way, I also got into a lot of friendly disagreements with the audit and bank staff which we laugh about today when recounting those experiences. I have also spent a lot of nights at the office as I was responsible for the primary infrastructure set-up and it was learning experience.<h2 class="heading-node" id="61d4">How has COVID changed your working style at M2P?</h2>Yes! For the last one year, I have been working from my native village. As I had no internet signal at home, I created a workspace in my field, complete with a tent and a lamp. It was inconvenient when it rained or when the sun was blazing. Thankfully, I set it right this year.<h2 class="heading-node" id="4c02">What are your thoughts on the future of <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/">M2P</a>?</h2>I am very excited. We are going global and hope to touch 27 countries. Infrastructure must be set up in a big way and I look forward to it. The future will have plenty of adventures. I trust our founders in helping us get through all of them.<h2 class="heading-node" id="2d54">What do you think about M2P’s culture?</h2>I enjoy the flexibility in terms of timing, dress code etc. No one micromanages anybody and there is a lot of respect and responsibility involved. I enjoy that.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f900">What will you love to build/develop if you have unlimited resources and time?</h2>I have not really thought about it. My mind doesn’t even go there to be honest. I am really passionate about my field at the moment. Also, I am kept busy firefighting various issues at work, so I haven’t really thought about it.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f7ed">What are your hobbies?</h2>I like reading. Especially about my fields of infrastructure, networking and security. If I encounter a problem at work that I don’t understand, I will go home and patiently read about it and increase my knowledge. Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep! Apart from this, I enjoy farming, and playing volleyball.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f974">What is your favorite quote?</h2>Whenever I feel down or dejected, I always look up to&nbsp;CUP<ul class="list-node" id="2ph0i8uyn"><li>C - Concentrate</li><li>U - Understanding</li><li>P - Practice</li></ul>Success doesn’t teach you much but failures do….<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Meet M2P’s Personal Firewall

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/04/banner1251-5-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="l0awqi5yp" width="100%" height="356">Swiping a credit card for purchases has been a standard practice for decades. All we need to do is swipe the card, and the transaction is complete. If it is an E-commerce transaction, entering the card details and other requisite information does the trick. And the time taken to complete this happening is mere seconds. But there are many steps between the card swipe and receipt of the swipe. All those actions are an intricate part of how credit card processing happens on the inside.<blockquote class="block-node" id="6mo1864fw">Simplifying Wikipedia’s terms: The Credit card is a payment card used by consumers to pay the merchant in exchange for goods or services. It is a promise between the card issuer and the cardholder to abide by a few drafted financial terms &amp; conditions — the cost of the goods + interest rates or late fees.</blockquote>It is a calculative risk taken by many parties involved in the transaction.From transferring the funds securely to collecting the payment from the user later, it revolves under a virtual promise. So that the importance of understanding credit card processing is to avoid any mishaps.<h2 class="heading-node" id="b7b9">What is credit card processing?</h2>Credit Card Processing is the funnel through which the data related to the Consumer Credit Card and purchase are transmitted from their Credit Accounts to Merchant Account. As consumer uses their credit card to buy a product, a virtual process happens swiftly between many financial participants to allow or decline the purchase.The credit card processing framework is a blueprint that serves as a guide for payments to go in the right direction during the transaction, and when they take a toll, it acts as an investigator.<h2 class="heading-node" id="bab3">Stakeholders in credit card processing</h2>The credit card processing network actively processes millions of transactions with the help of rigid network infrastructure and various stakeholders behind each network architecture.Each task is a mini approval request raised and approved in a circular motion by the financial entities involved in the process.Card Holder:&nbsp;The consumer is the credit cardholder.Merchant:&nbsp;The owner of the online selling platform or the offline store where the goods or services are placed for the consumers to buy.Example: Amazon (online store) Costco HyperMarket (offline store)Payment Processor: These are the companies that communicate and relay information from Consumer’s credit card to both Issuing and Acquiring Bank. All this occurs at lightning speed. Payment processors collect, receive, and accept the payment using a combination of hardware and software advancements. They ensure the security and fraud protection measures in the transactions.Card Network: Visa, MasterCard are the dominant examples of the card network, followed by American Express and Discover. They are virtual payment infrastructure facilitating the communication between merchant and issuer bank. Along with these international players, we have an India-borne network RuPay, launched by NPCI (National Payment Corporation of India).American Express and Discover are also issuers in the credit card industry. Discover also owns and operates Discover Bank. In India, Discover-branded credit cards are seen in collaboration with HDFC Bank and Diners Club International.Issuing Bank:&nbsp;An Issuing Bank (or “Issuer”) is an entity that provides Credit/Debit Cards to customers (VISA, Master, American Express, etc.). It authenticates a customer’s purchase at a store/online site. When a payment is made at a store, funds are transferred from the issuing bank (which authenticates the transaction) to the acquiring bank.Acquiring Bank:&nbsp;An Acquiring Bank (or “acquirer” or “merchant’s bank”) is an entity that maintains the merchant’s bank account. With the help of the acquiring bank, the merchant can process debit and credit card payments, access payment gateways, and receive payments from transacting customers.Any eCommerce entity or a brick-and-mortar store can collect online payments only after signing a contract with an acquiring bank. Once the contract is signed, the merchant can receive online payments, and the acquirer takes care of it on behalf of the merchant.In short, acquirers accept payments while issuers make payments. Also, the Acquirers provide their services to businesses, whereas Issuers offer their services to individuals. Acquirers and Issuers are like two sides of the same coin; though there are subtle differences in how they work, one cannot exist without the other.<h2 class="heading-node" id="92d9">How does credit card processing work?</h2>Credit card processing, which happens in a fraction of seconds, is a complex process in the background. We have tried demystifying the process in 7 simple steps:<img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*K9bp4Kbg_HWik1wOxQw9jw.jpeg" alt="Credit Card Processing Flow" title="" width="100%" height="284"><h3 class="heading-node" id="46f4">Consumer confirms purchase</h3>The consumer, who is also the cardholder, confirms the purchase at the POS (Point of Sale) terminal or the checkout webpage of the e-commerce website.<h3 class="heading-node" id="7fec">Consumer submits transaction details</h3>To complete the purchase, the consumer swipes the credit card or submits his card details to begin the payment. The transaction here will follow two flows; if it is a POS transaction, the POS device will read the card information. In the case of e-commerce websites, the consumer enters card details in the payment gateway.<h3 class="heading-node" id="1675">Secured data transmission</h3>There are multiple levels involved in the card data transmission and the purchase amount.<ol class="list-node" id="z0vfnyiw9"><li>Encrypted details sent to Payment Processor-&nbsp;The card reader or the payment gateway passes the transaction information in an encrypted format to the payment processor.</li><li>Payment Processor to Card Network-&nbsp;The payment processor collects and transmits information to the Credit Card Network.</li><li>Card Network to Issuer Bank-&nbsp;The Consumer’s Bank or the Issuing Bank which has issued the Credit Card, receives the information.</li></ol><h3 class="heading-node" id="1ae6">Payment verification by issuing bank</h3>The Consumer’s Bank verifies the availability of sufficient funds for the purchase. It also checks the legitimacy of the purchase. Once all these checks are done, it sends an approved or declined message to the Credit Card Network.<h3 class="heading-node" id="834e">Payment authorization</h3>Authorization response from the Card Network is sent to the Payment Gateway or the Card reader, displaying the response at the Purchase window. Once the authorization is approved, the merchant can deliver goods to Consumer.<h3 class="heading-node" id="665c">Payment processing by acquiring bank</h3>Merchant’s Bank or the Acquiring Bank receives the approved authorizations and credit card payments in a batch from Merchant for settlement. The payments are processed by the Bank on behalf of merchants.<h3 class="heading-node" id="e50a">Payment settlement flow</h3>The merchant bank further raises the Credit Card issuing bank request for batch settlement. The issuing bank, in turn, makes a settlement payment to the merchant bank the following day. Once funds are received by the Merchant Bank; certain amount towards interchange fees, acquirer fee, etc. are deducted before depositing the remaining to the merchant’s account. The settlement process typically takes 2–3 Business days.<h2 class="heading-node" id="ec35">What happens if the card transaction fails to go through?</h2>In case of refunds, payment disputes, or fraud reports, the process begins at the issuer end and then flows to the acquirer. In these cases, too, the issuer will authorize, and the acquirer authenticates. Though the minor details may differ from case to case, the overall process is the same. This activity is also known as the&nbsp;Chargeback process.&nbsp;Here the issuing bank will reverse the transaction in question by withdrawing money from the acquirer and returning it to the cardholder.The merchant can dispute the chargeback through&nbsp;Representment, where the acquirer must gather evidence on the merchant’s behalf to prove the original transaction validity. The issuer will examine the collected facts and offer an outcome supporting either the merchant or the cardholder.<h2 class="heading-node" id="280d">What are credit card processing services?</h2>A credit card processing service handles the data transfer that happens between the card machine and the bank. It processes all kinds of credit card transactions, both offline and online. Also known as&nbsp;Merchant Service&nbsp;Providers, these companies are authorized by card networks such Visa, MasterCard, etc. They help businesses open merchant accounts and manage their daily card transactions for a fee.<h2 class="heading-node" id="3ad2">Credit card processing fees</h2>The whole operation of credit card settlement and processing is notoriously confusing and complex. Still, it’s made easy for a price, and that is your credit card processing fees. This amount is charged to the merchant based on the payment processor he is using.Payment processors like the fintech providers who provide the payment infrastructure in the selling platform are the ones that collect this fee. It is then split among the other active players in the credit card processing framework.Credit card processing fees are broken into<ol class="list-node" id="5i5ncnxcm"><li>Interchange:&nbsp;The commission fee that goes to the issuer bank, non-negotiable.</li><li>Assessments:&nbsp;The commission fee that goes to the card network brand, non-negotiable.</li><li>Markup:&nbsp;The commission fee that goes to the payment processor, negotiable.</li></ol><h2 class="heading-node" id="f95c">Payment processing technologies</h2><img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*jEPc3qSRo-kXAHW_35lr0w.jpeg" alt="Payment Processing Technologies" title="" width="100%" height="284">Payments are sensitive everywhere. Lose a tooth nobody cares but lose a penny in the transaction everybody loses their temperance.It is essential to place your business into the next generation of the digital world that demands trust, fast, easy, and scalable fintech solutions. Only when your chosen payment processing technology can act as more than an enhancement can one survive the competition.To process a credit card, settle the credit card funds, and secure the payment process, the fintech industry caters to the technology accordingly. Irrespective of online or offline stores, payment processing, needs to happen few seconds to place an active bet in the competition. And here are some of the technologies<ul class="list-node" id="gt7lqlsep"><li>Mobile POS terminal (mPOS)- It is a device used at stores for retail card transactions</li><li>Payment Gateway- It is the key component of the payment processing system, and it sends the customer information to the acquirer</li><li>Real-Time Payments (RTP)- As the name suggests, RTP payments are initiated and settled almost instantly. Ideally, this technology is available 24*7*365</li><li>Mobile Wallets- It is a virtual wallet that stores an individual’s card details on a mobile device. They are used to make payments without the need for a physical card.</li><li>Blockchain in Payments- It is a promising tech for payment processing. Many companies worldwide are exploring its potential in the same.</li><li>NFC/Contactless Cards- NFC is available in smartphone payment gateways. It allows users to store multiple card data on their mobile, thereby reducing the need to carry cash.</li></ul><h2 class="heading-node" id="3bfc">Conclusion</h2>I know this is a lot to take in. We wish for an easy backend process, too, with fewer complications involved.However, that’s a job for us to worry about while you think only of choosing the right credit card processing system. The only thought you should have is about bringing in a suitable payment processor to make your credit card transactions occur in a fraction of seconds for a lower fee.Want to know more on this? Write to us at business@m2pfintech.com.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Credit Card Processing - A Definitive Guide

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/04/banner1251-7.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="47w9r0aue" width="100%" height="447">Over the past few years, we have been witnessing ongoing digital advancements, ranging from communication to the way we transact. Out of these advancements, cashless transactions are reigning supreme and are further fueled by this raging pandemic. They have taken over traditional payments and banking practices.Also, there is a multitude of payment options available today. Major players such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal have access to sensitive user data stored across international servers. These actions led to many raising their voice about user data security and privacy.Being a global concern, RBI brought forth the concept of Data Localization to protect user data from potential threats.<h2 class="heading-node" id="909f" style="text-align: justify">What is data localization?</h2>Data protection created a buzz way back in 1993 when Public Records Act ensures the data transfer is restricted outside India for security purposes from surveillance of other countries.<blockquote class="block-node" id="gvz0ve27e">Data localization is the act of storing citizens’ data within the country’s geographical boundaries to avoid any foreign accessibility.</blockquote>It also plays a crucial part in the government’s cloud computing policy.<h2 class="heading-node" id="a1d6" style="text-align: justify">RBI guidelines on the data localization Policy</h2>Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a circular dated April 6, 2018, stating that all authorized Payment System Operators (PSOs) in India to ensure that the data related to payment systems such as customer data, payment sensitive data, payment credentials, and transaction data should be mandatorily stored within India itself under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.A deadline of six months was tagged along with the data localization policy. Since the payment ecosystem has ballooned in the last few years, RBI was pushed to undertake this crucial step in protecting consumers’ data.All payment firms, including American Express, Master Card/Visa, PayPal, Google Pay, WhatsApp Pay, Paytm, and Phone Pe, should adhere to the RBI’s data localization rule. Subsequently, RBI insisted system providers for unfettered access to all data on complete end-to-end transaction details/information collected/carried/processed as part of the message/payment instruction by submitting Audit Report (SAR) conducted by CERT-IN.<h2 class="heading-node" id="b109" style="text-align: justify">As per RBI’s data localization policy...</h2><ol class="list-node" id="2v2w7zt70"><li>There is no bar on payment processing outside the country, but post-processing, the data should be deleted from the foreign systems and brought back to India not later than the one business day or 24 hours from payment processing, whichever is earlier. The same should be stored only in India.</li><li>However, any subsequent activity such as settlement processing after payment processing, if done outside India, shall also be undertaken/performed on a near real-time basis by storing it only in India.</li><li>In case of any other related processing activity, such as chargeback, etc., the data can be accessed, at any time, from India, where it is stored.</li><li>RBI’s prior approval is necessary for sharing the payment system data with overseas regulators.</li><li>The banks operating in India must strictly adhere to the storage norms.</li><li>Exceptionally, a foreign leg of a transaction is permitted to store their banking data abroad. However, the domestic payment transactions should be stored only in India along with the details which include end-to-end transaction, payment, and settlement transactions — customer name, mobile number, e-mail address, Aadhar card number or PAN, beneficiary details, and payment credentials like One Time Password (OTP), PIN and passwords.</li><li>For cross-border transactions that include data with a foreign and domestic component, a copy of the domestic component may be stored abroad, if required.</li><li>System providers were given six months to ensure the directive’s compliance and report the same to RBI.</li></ol><img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/700/1*UWIdZTi2f31G70qkfQJqLw.png" alt="An image representing the RBI Data Localisation Policy" title="" width="100%" height="349">The RBI guidelines on storing payments data provoked a noteworthy impact on Payment System Operators. Indian payment firms, viz. Paytm, PhonePe, and MobiKwik backed the RBI regulations on data localization policy in protecting citizens’ data and restricting any foreign accessibility.But the representatives of top leading companies such as Amazon, Flipkart, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and American Express met with government and RBI officials to raise concerns regarding the stringent nature of this policy (2019).Later the Indian government took the responsibility to determine the category of data to be stored locally. This categorization ensured that the data is not misused by various companies, which involves transferring it to third-party providers.<h2 class="heading-node" id="f733" style="text-align: justify">Personal data protection bill</h2>The Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP Bill) applies to the processing of personal data by the companies registered in India, foreign companies dealing with personal data of individuals in India, and the Indian Government. The PDP bill categorizes the collected data into three categories:<ul class="list-node" id="0gtvgf1gh"><li>Personal data,</li><li>Sensitive personal data and</li><li>Critical personal data.</li></ul>The PDP bill is not applicable for the processing of anonymous data.The PDP bill proposed to store sensitive personal data and critical personal data in India. However, it permits the processing of sensitive personal data by transferring it to outside of India in certain cases provided that at least a copy of that data continues to be stored in India and explicit consent is needed for the same. Whereas critical personal data can only be stored and processed within India.<h2 class="heading-node" id="e7e0" style="text-align: justify">The impact on payment industries</h2>Multinational payment systems located in India faced a major impact after the RBI’s intervention on Data Localization. Popular foreign credit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard missed the strict six-month deadline set by the RBI (2019). Usually, International payment companies store their data on global servers, but this rule made them store data locally with an additional investment.India is the fastest-growing market for mobile apps and digital banking. The Indian start-up companies in the FinTech sector often go through the toughest challenge of outsourcing technical support and shifting from cloud services to cheaper and cost-effective services.Data Localization Policy will prohibit these start-ups from opting for cost-effective cloud service providers globally and choose localized alternatives, which ends in high operational costs. But this will be a fruitful drift that leads to shielding of payments data from identity fraud and other digital breaches associated with it.<h2 class="heading-node" id="3200" style="text-align: justify">The current scenario</h2>RBI reiterated its stand on data privacy by issuing a circular stating that from April 1, 2021, all Payment system operators to submit a compliance certificate duly signed by their CEOs or Managing Directors on a half-yearly basis adhering to the RBI’s regulations on securing payments data.This again triggered an active interest in RBI’s continuous intervention on securing and continuously monitoring the data to avoid any future risks to the country. With the advancements in the digital economy, financial data security is a must for the country’s economic growth and development.Want to know more about data localization? Write to us at business@m2pfintech.com<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

Decrypting RBI Data Localization Policy for Payment Companies

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-7-4.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="z6xoivwf2" width="100%" height="356">The fintech industry is a big ocean where one gets easily lost if unaware of the operational standpoint of digital solutions. It has so many entities built with innovative ideas, frameworks, and processes that offer high scope to elevate the business to different levels.Among the pool of technology offered by the fintech world, payment solution is the essential competitive niche with robust ideologies already in action.The statement&nbsp;Payments are happening in the air&nbsp;is surreal because of the customized payment solutions popping out from every nook. These customized payment solutions are powered by two little, but mighty players called the Payment Gateway and Payment Switch. Though invisible to the human eyes, this duo is at the center of every scalable payment method that today’s banks and businesses are trying to deploy for a niche customer experience.<h2 class="heading-node" id="5533">What is a Payment Gateway?</h2>A payment gateway is a tool that potentially takes care of the transaction process end-to-end, covering security to settlement. Payment gateway, also known as the facilitator of the payment, is an online digital cashier who charges, verifies, collects cash, and hands over the deliverables.Payment Gateway is developed and launched by fintech’s to allow the merchants (businesses) to accept the payments in their selling platform, online or offline.They are third-party software sitting between businesses (merchant selling platform) and issuing bank account. This software creates a pathway in which the user (customer) can submit his/her sensitive information (card details, passwords, PINs) to the merchant in exchange for the promised goods.The payment gateway validates the submitted information, checks for the fund availability, deducts the fund. When the products are shipped or handed over, the fund is moved to the merchant account in 1–2 business days.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-10-3.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="ueyc1wyvd" width="100%" height="284">The powerful coding lines in the payment gateway enable the user to request a payment transaction within the seller platform. It assists the transaction process by executing the following steps,<ul class="list-node" id="qof5gk3a6"><li>Accepts the payment request</li><li>Verifies the user card details or submitted account details</li><li>Check for the fund availability</li><li>Processes the transaction</li><li>Transfers the fund to the acquirer bank account (merchant bank account)</li></ul>In simple terms, the software allows the smooth transaction between the issuing bank account and the acquirer’s bank account.<h2 class="heading-node" id="29e9">Benefits of a Payment Gateway</h2><ol class="list-node" id="bcxfx2siy"><li>Allows millions of users to perform a transaction with the merchants</li><li>Reduces the fraudulent services in online payments with various authentication steps like OTP, CVV, or CCV</li><li>Allows multiple payment options like a credit card, net banking, mobile wallet, or digital transactions.</li><li>Easy report generation, reconciliation, and settlement for accounting frameworks.</li></ol><h2 class="heading-node" id="5679">What is a Payment Switch?</h2>Payment switch is also a technology but embedded into the payment gateways. It is an independent entity that conveniently sits inside the payment gateways to assist the <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/future-of-payments-processing-matched-with-industry-needs/">payment processing</a>.Being an OLTP (online transaction process tasks) a payment switch takes care of all the nuances inside a transaction. Suppose the payment gateway is a founder who oversees the transaction. In that case, the switch is the executive who does the actual payment processing tasks.In a payment gateway, there are multiple merchant accounts boarded with their bank (acquirer bank). So, when a payment request comes from a merchant selling platform, switch dynamically identifies the acquirer bank (associated with that merchant) and the issuing bank of that specific request through <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-bin-migrationpreparing-for-8-digit-bins/">BIN</a> allotment and then permits the transaction to happen securely.BIN allotment is one among many ways for the payment switch to route the transaction. It also supports routing by amount, routing by the time of the day. Once it receives the message from the issuing bank, it formats and sends back the response to the acquirer.The payment switch is a flexible entity accepting the payment request from the payment gateway and beginning the transaction steps.<ul class="list-node" id="5zkz91mvg"><li>Accepts the validated payment request from the PG</li><li>Reads the merchant rules for the transaction process</li><li>Identifies the PSP for that particular payment request</li><li>Routes (switches) the transaction based on a BIN allotment for a specific PSP associated with that payment request</li><li>Processes the transaction based on failure or success</li></ul><img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/Artboard-1-copy-9-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="284"><h2 class="heading-node" id="h40nrxm4e">Benefits of a Payment Switch</h2><ol class="list-node" id="ccsypcdsi"><li>Highly Scalable</li><li>Dynamic Routing</li><li>Fewer outages’ issues</li><li>No more connectivity time out</li><li>Secure and eliminates the fraud risks because of the encrypted BIN allotment</li><li>Allows extension of payment networks</li></ol><h2 class="heading-node" id="eeqyxyhej">Payment Gateway vs. Payment Switch</h2>In the whole payment ecosystem, payment gateway and payment switch are the two variables that have become the atom to all the online and offline businesses appending banks. The two entities are not different but not the same too. They are embedded onto each other to reduce downtime and outages.It is easy to confuse both and interpret them as one, but it is not. Although on a bird’s view, the operations of both are alike, the underlying subtlety in the payment processing tasks differentiates payment gateway from payment switch.<h2 class="heading-node" id="2280">How do they work together in sync?</h2>Payment gateway and Payment switch work together in a fashionable way enabling faster, safer, and dynamic transactions. At a fraction of a second, the payment gateway can process more than a million transactions because of the flexible switch. You can imagine a payment gateway as the train track, and the payment switch is the railroad switch to change train routes. Just like the railroad switch guides the train to their proper destinations, the payment switch guides the transaction process to the right acquirer’s place.<blockquote class="block-node" id="u3fmyga0u">One platform, multiples payment requests, no mishaps, no outages, and no time outs — all possible because of payment switch.</blockquote><h2 class="heading-node" id="q8g6rg92k">What is the future of both?</h2>Payment switches will not go away because banks face intense competition to bring the topmost secure and faster payment methods. Payment initiatives will take the revolution road only till the switch exists.However, the future remains unpredictable (after what 2020 has taught). So, maybe the end might eliminate the switch and bring in a more robust payment gateway technology.In retrospect…The switch will be the payment gateway and grow as a monopoly in the payment ecosystem.Since owning a switch needs BIN allotment, the regulations charges are heavy; also, the technology requires a fast server with 24*7 hours access.But the real question for our thought here is, what if AI intelligence operations are allowed into payment technology. Then the game changes — switches will get a complete upgrade. But the future is yet to be witnessed.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

What is a Payment Gateway and Payment Switch?

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/banner-1-1.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="358">Payment Tokenization — One technology to make all the stakeholders of digital transactions happy!<blockquote class="block-node" id="pcv6p2tv7">“Tokenization market worth is estimated to be $4.8 Billion by 2025.”-&nbsp;Markets and Markets</blockquote>Simply put, the word “Tokenize” means substituting, and it is an ingenious concept introduced in 2005 by Shift4payments to protect cardholder data. It factored in data security at its core and is now a popular term due to the surge in online transactions.In fact, a token is a concept that has been long around; for example, the coins that we buy in the gaming arcade or a casino have no value outside the premises. But inside the building, you get to buy your stakes or favorite superhero toy. Likewise, tokens replace or mask the sensitive data in the online transaction by replacing it with random alphanumeric characters.By enabling payment tokenization, the merchants and networks can move data without the hovering threat of payments fraud or identity theft. Tokenization helps in finding a perfect balance between “data security” and “user experience.”<h2 class="heading-node" id="5806" style="text-align: justify">What is ‘Tokenization’ in payments?</h2>In the world of payments, the card account number is masked by a single-use randomized alphanumeric character of the same length. This camouflage is called tokenization in payments. Meaning, each account number is now a ‘Token’ representing the original confidential information. In contrast, the actual data is stored safely in a digital token vault.It is also referred to as ‘Credit Card tokenization’&nbsp;interchangeably. It helps in removing the credit card information from the internal network or database. The concept is more popular with <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/credit-card-processing-a-definitive-guide/">credit cards</a> as it involves a higher magnitude of the fraud.<h2 class="heading-node" id="8f6f" style="text-align: justify">Why do we need Payment tokenization?</h2>Pandemic fostered digital transactions at a faster pace than ever before indeed. As there is an increase in digital commerce, businesses came up with enhanced solutions that facilitated online transactions to confront consumer preferences.Improved digital transactions put security under question. While the consumers are worried about their sensitive data being visible to many online platforms, the merchants fret about losing loyal customers.‘Tokens — the trustworthy representatives,’ alleviates these roadblocks effectively as the original data (ex: credit card number) never reaches the merchant’s server. The merchants enjoy retaining the customers without compromising the reputation while staying <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/pci-dss-the-payments-armour/">PCI-DSS</a> (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliant.<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/int.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" id="92tjhlk3p" width="100%" height="358"><h2 class="heading-node" id="aa74" style="text-align: justify">How does Payment Tokenization/Credit Card tokenization work in action?</h2>Tokenization is not a costlier technology as it sounds. Any organization can adopt it irrespective of the structure and size. It is ideal for organizations that cannot afford to spend more on sophisticated encryption algorithms or infrastructure to secure the data.Let’s see an example,<ul class="list-node" id="a9ehiej48"><li>Sara orders a pair of sports shoes on Amazon. After choosing all her preferences, she reaches the payment section.</li><li>She enters the sensitive data on the portal (credit card number, cardholder name, etc.)</li><li>This goes straight to the tokenization server without storing any data in the amazon application’s server</li><li>There are many tokenization providers in the market like Fiserv, Mastercard, American Express, TokenEx, 3D Delta Systems, Meawallet, etc.</li><li>Then it reaches the token vault, where the original data is secure. It, in turn, returns a&nbsp;token&nbsp;of randomized alphanumeric representation of the same length.</li><li>This has no relation to the original data, like in the typical&nbsp;‘data encryption&nbsp;process. The actual data is contained within the ciphered text. Tokens are, in general, generated by mathematical algorithms.</li><li>This token is now passed to the merchant’s acquirer bank, and this bank passes the token to the credit card network.</li><li>Then the card network processes the token and maps it to the customer’s account number, authorizes and passes it to the issuing bank.</li><li>The issuer bank now authorizes or denies the transaction based on the fund balance.</li><li>After the successful transaction, a unique token returns to the merchant.</li><li>Amazon now has no record of Sara’s sensitive original information but her tokens. In this way, Amazon can enable Sara to make one-click payments the next time she shops.</li></ul>It is evident that&nbsp;tokenization checks all the mandates of refined digital transactions. Sara is now happy with her brand-new sports shoes while securing her data in the vault. Getting the data from the vault is not an easy piece of cake. It requires multiple authentication levels, service charges, etc., to verify if a trusted party raised it.<h2 class="heading-node" id="4357" style="text-align: justify">Then it also brings forth the question is Tokenization and Encryption one and the same?</h2>The answer is definitely no.The tokenized data cannot be reversed to reveal the original card number. In contrast, encryption takes a card number, transforms it into ciphertext by running it through an algorithm. To unlock the ciphertext, it has to be decrypted using an encryption key.On the other hand, tokenization uses no algorithm or requires a key to unlock the original data.<h2 class="heading-node" id="b70f" style="text-align: justify">Does Credit Card Tokenization impact a change in the payment process?</h2>No.The end-user will not find any difference in their transactions even after the implementation of tokenization. The entire process happens at the backend without intervening in the user experience. Tokens are generated online and eliminate the need to wait.<h2 class="heading-node" id="744e" style="text-align: justify">Why is Payment Tokenization a ‘Fintech Asset’?</h2>The boom of technology in the Financial services domain has been rapid in the past decade. Card-less transactions, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/remittance-with-upi-a-giant-leap-for-cross-border-payments/">UPI payments</a>, <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/what-is-a-payment-gateway-and-payment-switch-understanding-the-basics-of-payments-architecture/">Payment Gateways</a>, etc., increases online consumers each day. As we enjoy the perks of digital banking with one-click transactions, we cannot deny the fact that our data is vulnerable to “Social Engineering.”Social Engineering is everywhere. We may fall into the trap of hackers and leave a lot of confidential information during digital transactions. There are multiple intrusion points for the hackers to lure in when the transactions float over the network and wipe away our savings.Given this scenario, tokenization is indeed an asset to Fintech. Because even if a hacker tries to sneak into the network, all he can find is randomized alphanumeric and characters with no relation to the original data (PAN number, credit card number, etc.)It is expensive for merchants to become <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/pci-dss-a-quick-guide-to-its-levels/">PCI DSS</a> compliant and qualify themselves as a trustworthy eCommerce merchant for the consumers. They have to undergo a lengthy auditing process, and it is an ongoing process. With the help of&nbsp;‘Tokenization,’&nbsp;merchants can save a hefty amount of money as the scope of <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/pci-dss-the-payments-armour/">PCI DSS</a> compliance is reduced in storing the user’s confidential information.Apart from banking,&nbsp;‘credit card tokenization’&nbsp;builds confidence among the investors as it secures the money with ease. We could see the boom of Blockchain technology-based fintech solutions gaining momentum across the nations.&nbsp;“Tokenization”&nbsp;is also seen as the key to drive blockchain implementation in the future by accompanying cryptocurrency transactions.Finally, it also offers substantial benefits to all stakeholders involved in the transaction:<ul class="list-node" id="nexhxh9e5"><li>Issuers witness a notable decrease in payment fraud in both channels of online and mobile transactions.</li><li>Acquirers, merchants, and processors experience a lower risk of accessible, sensitive cardholder data if compromised by cyber attacks.</li><li>Merchants will wield a powerful mechanism that lets them innovate better retail experiences minus the responsibility of storing and handling sensitive data.</li><li>Customers need not enter their details every time they make an online purchase from smartphones, tablets, or PCs.</li></ul>Payments tokenization makes all the parties — consumers; merchants; payment gateway providers, banking institutions, regulatory bodies feel safe, secure, and happy with their buying and selling processes.Tokenizing confidential data makes way for turbulence-free secure digital transactions!<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

How Does Payment Tokenization Work?

<img src="https://m2p-website-file.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/m2p-website-file/marketing-cms/m2p-blog/2022/05/banner-2.webp" alt="M2P Fintech" title="" width="100%" height="284">The word <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/remittance-with-upi-a-giant-leap-for-cross-border-payments/">“Remittance”</a> means money sent to an individual in another place. The Latin origin of the word means “To let go or to send.” As the human civilization evolved, so did remittances. It was earlier a bill payment done via mail or a cheque sent for an appliance purchase. But, today, remittances are a much more complex phenomenon. It is hard-earned money of the immigrants sent back home to their families.Until the last decade, immigrants were heavily reliant on banks or FOREX brokers to relay their earnings back home. It came associated with a hefty fee and a longer waiting time of a week or more. It involved multiple players, the differences in conversion fees, processing fees, and so on.But, then again, over the years, Fintech’s intervention has changed the remittance landscape for the better. The primary advantage is the time taken to send the funds across the border. What takes weeks to complete, Fintech does it in seconds. They have turned the tables by providing competitive exchange rates, which were almost close to existing market rates.They have enabled multiple ways of currency transfers where the remitter can send money via:<ul class="list-node" id="2w6efqopb"><li>Enabling customers to see multiple exchanges fees at one place and then make money transfer within the platform — TransferWise (now Wise)</li><li>Doing remittances in bulk and passing on the savings to the Customers.</li><li>Internet-enabled smartphones</li></ul>The advent of account-linked mobile wallets like Google Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo has brought down the transactional fees to a bare minimum or no fees at all. Meaning all the international transfers happen through an app. They have provided the option for the customer to choose their preferred method of payment, right from the comfort of their homes.In fact, India holds first place in the remittance industry. It has averaged US$76 billion in 2020, despite the general decline in remittance across the globe as per World Bank. The main reason why India is the leading country in the remittance index is because of its large diaspora of expatriate population. It is closely followed by China and Mexico in the second and third places, respectively.Additionally, Fintech has unlocked vast amounts of user data, helping to better understand user behavior. The data provides utmost detail right down to the kind of phone used, frequency of transfers, locations, etc.<h2 class="heading-node" id="57f8">What are Fintechs doing?</h2>From extending reach of their in-app payment and transfer solutions, Fintechs are evolving how the age-old Exchanges have been working. While tying up with Banks and Exchanges in regions like GCC and executing remittances on their own in regions like the USA &amp; Europe.<ul class="list-node" id="fq5idmmwt"><li>Extending Banking to the Unbanked:</li></ul>The Fintech catering to low-income-income migrant workers, primarily in the GCC, provides them with solutions like debit cards, bill, payment, and mobile top-up facilities in-app. These fintech players are extending banking to the unbanked, giving them proper accounts, shopping online, and building their credit histories. Such customers’ data will further help them roll out services like Insurance and Credit (loans). — NOW Money<ul class="list-node" id="8v0gg4syi"><li>Blockchain-Powered Digi-wallet:</li></ul>Fintech players are taking remittance to another level where cash is converted as <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc-101-a-primer/">digital currency</a> using blockchain-powered Digi-wallet. The money can be transferred to anyone having the wallet app installed (more like Intra-app transfer) using this wallet. They further create an ecosystem where the App’s user can do transactions anywhere, without even considering converting the digital currency to actual currency. — MenaPayWith <a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/blog/the-rise-of-digital-payments-2/">digital payments</a> shrinking the world, transferring money across borders is now the new normal. New-age Fintech is constantly innovating the best practices to offer enhanced transparency while maintaining high-level security.<a class="link" href="https://m2pfintech.com/newsletter/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox. Follow us on&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2pfintech/mycompany/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/m2pfintech">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for insightful fintech tales curated for curious minds like you.

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