Adyen and Checkout.com Add Passkeys to Card Payment Verification

Payment processors Adyen and Checkout.com have started adding passkeys, cryptographic keys tied to the shopper's device, to the verification step of card payments. According to PYMNTS, Adyen is introducing Visa Payment Passkey through its Authenticate product, starting in the U.K. Checkout.com is building the feature into its existing authentication integration and offering it to selected merchants in the U.K. and Europe. For the market, this is a way to reduce the number of bank confirmations on repeat purchases and a new basis for competition between processors.

How a Passkey Works at Checkout

Today, a shopper with a saved card often has to complete an extra step: enter a code sent by text or confirm the payment in a banking app. A passkey replaces that step with a confirmation on the device itself, using a fingerprint, face scan or PIN. The processor receives the payment request from the merchant and checks which verification methods are available for the specific transaction. If it selects a passkey, the device uses a cryptographic key to confirm the shopper's access. The private key stays on the device. After verification, the processor continues the payment, but the issuing bank still decides whether to approve it.

What Adyen's Pilot Shows

In Adyen's documented pilot, the shopper first completes a standard bank verification, after which they are offered the option to create a passkey. On the next visit with the same card and device, Adyen's Authentication Engine decides whether a challenge is needed and which method to use, considering factors including the browser and payment method. If a passkey is selected, the device confirmation replaces the bank challenge. If the passkey is unavailable or the engine selects another method, the shopper may still see a bank prompt. The documented flow separates repeat orders from automatic subscription charges, and subscriptions are outside the passkey flow.

Why It Matters for Merchants

PYMNTS Intelligence data shows that 80% of shoppers use stored payment credentials. In research conducted with Worldpay, 84% of shoppers said one-click checkout is important when choosing where to shop, and 18% chose their preferred shopping channel solely based on whether this feature was available. A saved card removes the need to type in payment details, while a passkey targets the next obstacle: the moment the shopper is asked to confirm the payment. Separately, PYMNTS Intelligence and Worldpay report that 55% of firms with a strong cross-border focus use automatic payment retries. For merchants routing payments through multiple providers, the link between verification and authorization becomes critical.

What to Watch When Comparing Processors

The source suggests three metrics: how often shoppers see a verification prompt at all, how often they are offered a passkey, and how often they complete the purchase after that, compared with the bank's standard prompt. Backup routes raise a separate question. If a backup route can carry the verification result, the shopper moves to authorization without a new prompt. If re-verification is required, the shopper may see the confirmation again, so the payment experience on the backup route should be compared with the primary one.