Mastercard has announced plans to transform online shopping by 2030. The company aims to eliminate the need for physical card numbers and passwords, instead using biometric authentication to secure transactions.

This technology is already being tested in major markets and is expected to become widespread within the next few years.

Mastercard Combines Tokenization, Biometrics

The goal is to combine tokenization, introduced a decade ago, with biometrics to enable secure and seamless online checkout. Mastercard's vision is to ensure that every transaction on its network is tokenized and authenticated, improving both safety and convenience for online shoppers.

Despite the rise of digital payment solutions, online shopping still faces issues, including higher fraud rates compared to in-store purchases. Mastercard reports that fraud is seven times more likely online, due to exposed card numbers.

Additionally, many shoppers still find manual card entry a hassle, leading to abandoned carts. Mastercard's technology aims to reduce these challenges by streamlining the process and improving security.

“Just like the transition from signing and swiping to tapping cards, we’re now moving from manual entry and passwords to seamless and secure payments in just a few clicks. With this shift we are protecting sensitive data through advanced encryption and tokenization technologies,” said Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer at Mastercard.

E-Commerce Tokenization Gains Traction

The company also imagines a future where physical cards are numberless, further minimizing the risks of fraud. Mastercard's efforts to reduce cart abandonment and boost transaction approvals are already showing positive results. Tokenization has helped merchants increase global sales by up to $2 billion per month and reduced fraud risks.

Mastercard is working with various partners to scale these technologies. More than 30% of Mastercard transactions are currently tokenized through its Digital Enablement Service.

Markets like India are nearing full tokenization for e-commerce. The company’s Payment Passkey Service is expanding, with banks and online merchants in several countries already adopting the technology.

The Click to Pay system is also gaining traction, with several global financial institutions and merchants offering the service. Mastercard's initiative to phase out magnetic stripes, which began in 2021, is part of its ongoing commitment to improve payment security.

Through these efforts, Mastercard aims to make online and physical payments faster, safer, and more convenient by 2030.