The Digital Authentication Framework (DAF) works with EMV 3-D Secure and Visa Token Service technologies, to ensure the security of card-not-present transactions while preserving ease-of-use. The world’s first DAF 3DS transaction happened in Ukraine on May 26.

KYIV, August 3, 2023 — Visa, a global leader in digital payments, joined forces with PrivatBank, the biggest bank in Ukraine*, to introduce a new solution: the Digital Authentication Framework (DAF), a suite of digital commerce systems performance criteria which, when met, may allow merchants to shift liability on qualifying eCommerce transactions. The DAF is designed to ensure eCommerce transactions work as efficiently as an in-store EMV payments.

Ukraine became the first country in the world where the trailblazing program was launched, marking a turning point for the country’s e-commerce and payment market in general. The first-ever DAF 3DS live transaction happened in Ukraine on May 26, 2023.

“PrivatBank, where innovation is an important part of our DNA, made the world's first transaction under the DAF 3DS in Ukraine." - said Mariusz Kaczmarek, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of PrivatBank for IT & Operations. "Teams of PrivatBank and Visa continue to pursue modern technologies that make digital commerce safer and more convenient for clients even during difficult times of the war. Reduction of fraud followed by convenience for our clients is a part of modern digital solutions by PrivatBank."

The DAF program offers an upgrade to the Visa Secure program underpinned by 3-D Secure (3DS) technology, which requires a multi-step verification process for the issuer bank to authenticate the customer before a e-comm (card-not-present) transaction may be confidently approved.

However, with DAF, active authentication is only necessary for the first transaction, subsequent transactions are approved seamlessly. This reduces friction for consumers, lowers cart abandonment and increases conversion rates for merchants.

‘’DAF 3DS is a new program that will further strengthen online payments. This technology balances security and convenience. It reduces the number of instances when clients have to complete authentication verifications while allowing merchants to better control the checkout process and user experience. By introducing DAF 3DS, Visa once again demonstrates its leadership in the payment industry. DAF also works with Visa Token Service as authentication technology, allowing merchants to decide what solutions works best for their needs and use cases’, - Matt Charpentier, Visa's Global head of authentication and identity, said.

“Though the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the digital shift it fueled continues to influence the world economy. The share of e-commerce is increasing all over the globe, including Ukraine, but online fraud is getting ever more sophisticated too,” - Vira Platonova, Visa Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager, CISSEE, said. - “I am proud that Ukraine, one of the region’s leaders in digital transformation, became the first country in the world where we launched this solution, offering the strictest protection standards to Visa cardholders. It is another step closer to the country’s cashless future.”

Introducing DAF 3-D Secure program is the latest result of a fruitful collaboration between PrivatBank and Visa.

Earlier, in July 2022, to decrease Ukraine’s banking system’s dependence on hardware prone to destruction because of ongoing hostilities in the country, Visa moved PrivatBank’s services and operation to its cloud solution, Visa Cloud Connect.

In December 2021, Visa partnered with Privatbank to launch a mobile app called “Terminal” based on Visa Tap to Phone solution, allowing the bank’s entrepreneur clients to turn their Android smartphones, equipped with an NFC chip, into a full-fledged POS terminal.

In May 2020, Privatbank, among other Visa’s global partners, joined Visa Token Service as a credential-on-file (COF) token service provider, strengthening security customer UX of digital merchant transactions in Ukraine.