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Modulr glossary

ISO 20022

ISO 20022 is an international messaging standard for financial communications. It enables richer data to accompany payments, supporting better automation, reconciliation, and compliance. It is the foundation for modernising global payment systems, including CHAPS, SEPA, and SWIFT.

Applications

E-commerce:

Reduces fraud in online card payments by verifying the cardholder's identity

Banking and fintech:

Helps issuers and payment providers comply with Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements.

Advantages

  • Enhanced security: Reduces unauthorised transactions by verifying that the genuine account holder is authorising the payment
  • Fraud prevention: Helps reduce chargebacks related to fraud.

Challenges

  • User Experience: Additional authentication steps can cause friction and increase checkout abandonment
  • Implementation complexity: Requires integration with card schemes and issuer systems.

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