Visa Enhances Security for Instant Payment Transactions

The capability for instant money transfers has existed for several years, allowing funds to be sent from one account to another within seconds. In Europe, there is a concerted effort to promote these real-time payments, and a major credit card provider is stepping in to bolster security.

Visa, a leading credit card provider, has announced its intention to assist banks in Germany in detecting potential fraud associated with instant money transfers. The company's Central European chief stated that Visa is committed to protecting the German payment landscape by making its AI-driven fraud prevention tools available for real-time transactions. The rollout of this service is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

A pilot project conducted in the UK last year demonstrated the effectiveness of the technology in safeguarding instant payments. According to Visa, the project was able to identify 54% of fraudulent transactions even after they had already passed through the banks' fraud detection systems.

Visa has been utilizing artificial intelligence for over three decades to prevent fraud in card transactions, achieving a significant reduction in the fraud rate for payments made with Visa cards.

Instant payments, by definition, involve transferring money from one bank account to another almost instantaneously, allowing recipients to access funds immediately after a payment has been initiated. Traditionally, such transfers would only be credited to the recipient's account on the next banking day.

As of January 9, the option for real-time transfers has been widely adopted across Europe. Banks and savings institutions are now required to credit received funds to the recipient's account without regard to time or date. Furthermore, the fees for instant transfers cannot exceed those of conventional transfers.

Industry experts believe that instant payments can serve as a catalyst for innovation, potentially forming the foundation for European payment services. By October 9, all credit institutions in Europe will be mandated to offer instant payment options to their customers. Reports indicate that the readiness of the German banking sector to implement these changes is progressing well.