ComBank raises the bar for payments authentication in Sri Lanka with Visa

Monday, 08 November 2021 09:26

EMV 3DS deployment

Businesscafe - The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become the first Bank in Sri Lanka to deploy EMV 3DS fraud prevention technology in collaboration with Visa for authenticating payments made by Credit, Debit and Pre-paid cards issued by the Bank.

EMV 3D Secure is a global protocol specification released by EMVCo, that enables consumer authentication without adding unnecessary friction to the payment process, the Bank said.


With this development, the OTP (One Time Password) sending function has been made more robust and secure, ensuring customer convenience and safety.

This authentication process involves the merchant sending certain data needed to validate a transaction to the card issuer.


The Bank has the capability to enable low-risk purchases to be completed through the frictionless flow, facilitating speedy authentication by reducing page redirects and entering the information before payment.


Potentially risky purchases on the other hand, will prompt cardholders to complete additional authentication through SMS, security questions and other mechanisms such as e mails in order to avoid fraud and validate the transaction.

The Bank said the new EMV 3DS feature from Visa Secure offers risk-based authentication and frictionless processing, further reducing the possibilities of e-commerce frauds and authentication failures.

The EMV 3DS specifications provide a common set of requirements that product providers can use to integrate this technology into their solutions.


The specifications support app-based authentication and integration with digital wallets, as well as traditional browser-based e-commerce transactions.

“Security is one of the top priorities in digital payment transactions, but it must not be a cumbersome process that inconveniences customers,” Commercial Bank’s Deputy General Manager, Marketing Mr Hasrath Munasinghe commented.


“With EMV 3DS we have truly state-of-the-art security protocols combined with flexibility to eliminate check-out friction by ensuring seamless and ultra-fast authentication with minimal inputs by the cardholder.”

Ms Avanthi Colombage, Country Manager – Sri Lanka and Maldives, Visa said:


“With e-commerce in Sri Lanka making a steady climb, the past year has seen numerous new consumers enter the digital commerce ambit, making it pertinent for e-tailers to balance elegant user experiences with superior transaction security.

Visa is delighted to partner with Commercial Bank of Ceylon to deploy Visa Secure and strengthen the bank’s focus on customer-centric digital solutions and seamless online shopping experiences.


Visa Secure, built on EMVCo 3DS 2.0 protocol, gives consumers the comfort and confidence of making online purchases with minimum friction and faster checkout.”

Commercial Bank is one of Sri Lanka’s leading financial institutions in introducing state-of-the-art payment card technology and new digital experiences to its customers.


The Bank continues to make significant investments in new technology that facilitate customers’ financial transactions with better security and convenience.


Commercial Bank offers a wide range of card products to its cardholders as well as to merchants for making payments effectively, conveniently and securely.

Sri Lanka’s first fully carbon neutral bank, the first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and the only Sri Lankan bank to be so listed for 11 years consecutively, Commercial Bank operates a network of 268 branches and 931 automated machines in Sri Lanka.


The Bank’s overseas operations encompass Bangladesh, where the Bank operates 19 outlets; Myanmar, where it has a Microfinance company in Nay Pyi Taw; and the Maldives, where the Bank has a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake.

Visa is the world’s leader in digital payments and their mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive.


Visa’s advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second.


The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device.


As the world moves from analogue to digital, Visa is applying its brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce.


For more information visit usa.visa.com/about-visa.html, usa.visa.com/visa-everywhere/blog.html and @VisaNews. 

Last modified on Monday, 08 November 2021 10:56