Flipkart, Axis Bank and PayU have introduced biometric authentication for card payments on Flipkart, allowing users to approve transactions via fingerprint or Face ID on supported Android and iOS devices instead of entering a one-time password. The service is initially enabled for Axis Bank cardholders through issuer-level biometric verification, positioning Flipkart among the first major Indian e-commerce platforms to roll out biometric authentication for card payments.
According to the companies, the new flow is designed to reduce friction in digital payments by replacing SMS-based OTPs with a faster mechanism that mirrors how consumers already unlock and use their smartphones. The partners say the feature is backed by device fingerprinting and additional security checks aimed at lowering the risk of SIM-swap and OTP-related fraud. Under the arrangement, PayU manages merchant-side infrastructure, including device security and authentication flows, while Axis Bank uses Wibmo, a PayU company, to handle biometric verification on the issuer side.
The launch comes against the backdrop of a sharp rise in digital payment fraud in India, with fraud values reported as having increased more than fivefold to exceed ₹1,400 crore in FY 2024, based on Reserve Bank of India-linked data. It also aligns with the RBI’s “Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025,” which explicitly encourages the industry to adopt biometric and risk-based authentication in place of SMS OTPs. Flipkart, Axis Bank and PayU frame the initiative as consistent with this regulatory direction, arguing that it can strengthen security, improve transaction success rates and support a more resilient payments ecosystem.
Executives from the three companies describe the rollout as part of a broader push to embed safety and trust into digital payments while meeting expectations for quicker, more seamless checkouts. They characterize device-bound biometric card authentication as a step in India’s transition away from OTPs and as a model for the next generation of secure digital transactions.
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