RBI relaxes norms for AFA to speed up small value online transactions

The RBI has relaxed norms for Additional Factor of Authentication, AFA for payments up to 2,000 rupees. Relaxing the norms for AFA requirement for transactions up to 2,000 rupees for online CNP (Card not present) transactions, the RBI said, only authorised card networks will provide such payment authentication solutions with participation of card issuing and acquiring banks. 

The RBI said, in this model, the card issuing banks will offer the payment authentication solutions of the respective card networks to their customers on an optional basis. Customers opting for this facility will go through a one-time registration process requiring entry of card



details and AFA by the issuing bank. It further said that thereafter, the registered customers will not be required to re-enter the card details for every transaction at merchant locations that offer this solution and thereby save time and effort. 

The card details already registered would be the first factor while the credentials used to login to the solution would be the additional factor of authentication. RBI said, in the interest of customer awareness and protection, the banks and authorised card networks offering such solutions will bear the full liability in the event of any security breach or compromise in the authorised card network.