Flipkart now offers biometric authentication for Axis Bank card payments
What's the story
In a major development, Flipkart has teamed up with Axis Bank and PayU to introduce biometric authentication for card payments on its platform. The new feature will let users approve transactions using their Face ID or fingerprint instead of the traditional one-time passwords (OTPs). The move is aimed at making online payments faster and more secure for Axis Bank cardholders.
Enhanced security
How the feature works
The new biometric authentication system will allow Axis Bank cardholders to authenticate payments directly from their supported Android and iOS devices. This would significantly reduce the reliance on SMS-based OTPs, which are often delayed or fail to deliver. The companies behind this initiative have said that it is enabled through issuer-level biometric verification and device binding, both of which improve the speed and security of online payments.
Operational details
Role of PayU and Axis Bank
Under this partnership, PayU will provide the merchant-side payment infrastructure and authentication flow. Meanwhile, Axis Bank will handle biometric verification on the issuer side through Wibmo, a PayU company. The integration of these systems is aimed at strengthening fraud controls and protecting against risks such as SIM-swap and OTP interception.
Regulatory support
Addressing rise in digital payment fraud
The launch of this feature comes at a time when digital payment fraud has been on the rise in India. Data linked to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows a significant increase in fraud values over recent years. In its 'Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025' report, the RBI has recommended stronger authentication methods such as biometrics instead of SMS OTPs.