When it comes to enhanced security for your customers, chip-activated terminals are taking things to a whole new level. So how does it work? Chip cards and chip-activated terminals work together to protect in-store payments. A unique one-time code, generated behind-the-scenes, is needed for the transaction to be approved—a feature that is extremely effective in reducing counterfeit fraud. It’s easy for your customers to use and for you to adopt.
Overview
Help protect your customers and your business.
Features + Benefits
Fraud protection
When you upgrade to chip technology, you continue to be protected from counterfeit fraud losses. As of October 1, 2015, businesses that don’t accept Visa chip card transactions may be responsible for any resulting counterfeit fraud. Similarly, effective April 17, 2021, Visa transactions made at ATMs and Automated Fuel Dispensers (AFDs) will be included in the Liability Shift Policy.
Seamless checkout
Visa chip cards are easy for your customers to use. Once your chip card terminals are enabled, customers will insert their cards into the terminal and follow the easy on-screen prompts. Learn how Visa offers you choices to provide your customers with an extra layer of security without disrupting their shopping experience.
Good for business
Investing in security shows customers you care about securing their payment card information, which positively enhances your brand. Investing in chip technology is helping pave the way for mobile and digital commerce, so you can offer your customers more services and conveniences.
Prepare for the future
If you haven’t yet adopted Visa chip technology, there are a few things to keep in mind: . Customers can still swipe their chip-enabled card at your terminals using the magnetic stripe on the back of the card and use their cards over-the-phone or online just as always. Whether your customers insert, swipe or use their card online, they’re protected from unauthorized transactions with Visa’s Zero Liability Policy.
* Visa’s Zero Liability Policy does not apply to certain commercial card and anonymous prepaid card transactions or transactions not processed by Visa. Cardholders must use care in protecting their card and notify their issuing financial institution immediately of any unauthorized use. Contact your issuer for more detail.
Q + A
Have questions about Visa chip technology? Find answers below for your frequently asked questions.
-
Chip cards are regular plastic credit, debit and pre-paid cards with an embedded microchip. The chip protects in-store payments because it generates a unique, one-time code that is needed for each transaction to be approved. It is extremely effective in reducing counterfeit fraud, providing greater security and peace of mind when used in store. A chip card also has a magnetic stripe on the back of the card and may include Visa contactless technology for contactless payments. Which would be indicated on the front or back of the card with a Contactless Indicator
.The Contactless Symbol and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with permission of EMVCo LLC.
-
Yes. Chip cards include a magnetic-stripe to ensure that Visa-branded cards may be used the same places where magnetic-stripe cards are used, including in environments where migration to chip technology is not complete.
-
There are no specific plans to eliminate magnetic-stripe. Global chip migration continues and until we reach ubiquity, the magnetic-stripe on the back of the card will continue to provide global acceptance interoperability.
-
The merchant will process a "fallback" transaction using the card's magnetic-stripe. If that doesn't work, the merchant should ask the customer for another form of payment. Keep in mind that key-entered transactions should only be used as a last resort, if at all.
-
The merchant will follow a similar procedure as today -- secure the card in a safe location and ensure it is returned to the right person with ID verification if the consumer should return to the store.
-
Dual-interface refers to the ability of the terminal to accept both contact and contactless EMV® chip cards or payment devices such as mobile phones. Dual-interface terminals are able to process transactions from various payment products including EMV chip contact cards, contactless cards, mobile devices, and magnetic-stripe cards.
EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.
-
In general, if Quick Chip for EMV® is implemented, a contact or contactless chip transaction should have a negligible difference in speed compared to a magnetic stripe transaction that you process today.
EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.
-
For contact chip cards, your customers must insert the chip card into the payment terminal reader instead of swiping the card as they do with a magnetic stripe card. Also, your customers must leave the chip card in the payment terminal reader until the terminal prompts them to remove the card. It is recommended that the customer-facing display prompt the cardholder when it is time to insert and remove the card, so as to train the cardholder both in leaving the card in the reader, and in inserting/removing it at the proper time.
For contactless cards and mobile devices, your customers will simply hold the contactless card or payment-enabled device where they see the Contactless Symbol
on the payment terminal.The Contactless Symbol
and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with permission of EMVCo LLC. -
This program benefits qualifying card present merchants who process at least 75 percent of their transactions using EMV chip terminals.
-
Visa suggests you contact your acquirer as soon as possible to ensure you are adequately prepared to accept chip payment transactions.
-
No. Visa continues to support a range of cardholder verification methods (CVMs) including signature, online PIN, and no-signature for low-value, low-risk transactions. Visa will maintain interoperability across those methods with technical standards, business rules, and compliance programs.