Federal Bank Launches India’s First-Ever Biometric Authentication for Ecom Card Transactions

KOCHI:
Federal Bank, a leading private sector Bank in collaboration with fintech partners M2P and MinkasuPay, has introduced India’s first-ever biometric authentication solution for e-commerce card transactions. Customers can now authenticate online purchases using just a touch or a look—their Fingerprint or Face ID. This solution not only enhances security but also significantly improves transaction speed and user experience.

The solution replaces cumbersome OTPs with biometric verification, reducing transaction times to just 3–4 seconds, while enhancing the security. The solution is designed to combine simplicity with security offering users a seamless experience.

Virat Sunil Diwanji, National Head – Consumer Banking, Federal Bank expressed his enthusiasm about the launch, “This launch is more than a tech upgrade—it’s a transformation in how our customers experience banking. Biometric authentication makes secure payments feel natural and seamless. At Federal Bank, our innovation always has a purpose—to empower customers with convenience and safety and with this partnership with M2P and MinkasuPay, we aim to set a national benchmark in frictionless digital transactions.”

Madhusudanan R, Co-founder, M2P Fintech, said: “This collaboration is a perfect reflection of what M2P stands for—building secure, scalable infrastructure that elevates user experience. Enabling the country’s first biometric authentication for e-commerce card transactions is a proud milestone for us. In partnership with Federal Bank and MinkasuPay, we are not just innovating—we’re reimagining how trust and convenience can coexist in digital payments.”

Anbu Gounder, CEO of MinkasuPay, shared his vision for the future: “We are proponents of device biometric authentication. Our goal is to offer the best and the most secure payment experience in the world while at the same time doing 2-factor authentication for all payment transactions. We are pleased to partner with Federal Bank and M2P in bringing this cutting-edge technology to the market, thereby offering the best payment experience in the country to the Federal Bank card customers.”

The biometric solution is fully compliant with RBI’s Two-Factor Authentication guidelines, and ensures fallback to OTP in case biometrics are not captured. Customers can enroll with a one-time consent during checkout, and use the feature seamlessly on supported merchant apps. It works across compatible Android and iOS smartphones, and can be integrated by merchants via a lightweight SDK.

What This Means for Customers?
No more OTPs: Just use your Fingerprint or Face ID
Lightning-fast checkouts: As quick as 3 seconds
Top-tier security: Each transaction is uniquely validated by your device
Control stays with customers: Easily opt in or out, with fallback to traditional methods if needed
This innovation is now live for Federal Bank debit and credit cardholders, across select partner merchants, and will be expanded in a phased manner.