Card Not Present (CNP)

What does Card Not Present (CNP) mean?

Card Not Present (CNP) refers to payment transactions where the cardholder is not physically present at the point of sale.

In CNP transactions, the card cannot be swiped, inserted, or tapped physically, so verification relies on the data provided by the buyer.

Characteristics of CNP transactions

• The merchant does not have physical access to the card or the cardholder during the payment process.

• Authentication is based on information provided by the cardholder (card number, expiration date, CVV, etc.).

• It is common to use additional security measures such as strong customer authentication (SCA), 3D Secure, or other anti-fraud systems.

When does a CNP transaction occur?

A transaction is considered card not present when the cardholder is not physically present when making the payment. The most common cases include:

• Online purchases: the customer enters card and billing information on a website or payment link, choosing home delivery or in-store pickup.

• Phone orders: the customer provides card and billing details to a sales representative to process the payment.

• Payments with a stored card: previously saved and authorized payment methods are used for future purchases.

• Mail orders: the customer sends a physical form with billing details to purchase products or services.

• Recurring payments or subscriptions: automatic payments at regular intervals using stored card information.

• Online bill payments: the customer pays a bill through an online payment platform.