Visa and noon payments have introduced Visa Payment Passkey for merchants, marking what the companies describe as the first global payment service provider (PSP) deployment of Visa’s password-free checkout. The launch is anchored in the Middle East, where noon payments will make the service available through its existing merchant integration.
Visa Payment Passkey replaces traditional passwords and SMS one-time passcodes with FIDO-based, device-bound credentials. Shoppers authenticate using a fingerprint, facial recognition, or device PIN, which Visa says reduces fraud linked to credential replay while cutting down on cart abandonment. Visa has positioned the passkey service as part of its broader acceptance stack, alongside Click to Pay, network tokenization, and merchant tools. With a one-time setup, consumers can then confirm transactions at participating merchants with biometrics.
According to Visa, the passkey framework is designed to be phishing-resistant and unique to each site, offering a stronger alternative to OTPs. Noon payments has said its merchants can access the new checkout flow through a single integration, meaning that no rebuild is required to adopt the feature. The rollout was highlighted during SIBOS week as a demonstration of how PSPs can deliver passkey-based checkout at scale.
The Middle East introduction follows Visa’s earlier launches in other markets, including Ukraine, where Payment Passkey was deployed with banks and issuers. Noon payments had already introduced Mastercard Payment Passkey in 2024, and adding Visa’s version broadens coverage for merchants and cardholders on its platform.
Visa’s product pages emphasize that the approach combines network tokens to replace PANs with FIDO authentication tied to consumer devices, while front-end checkout is presented through Click to Pay or branded payment buttons. Visa notes that the system is designed to streamline the merchant experience by consolidating authentication, acceptance, and fraud prevention within its digital payments framework.
Sources: Mobile ID World
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
