What is New in EMV^® Secure Remote Commerce Version 1.5?

EMV^® SRC technology simplifies the digital payment process to help make it consistent, convenient and secure. In this post, Carey Ferro, Chair of EMVCo’s Secure Remote Commerce (SRC) Working Group, outlines the latest updates to the EMV SRC Specifications and explores how the technology is evolving to support developments across the payments ecosystem.  

Following feedback and input from EMVCo Associates, Subscribers and the broader payments community, EMVCo has now published Version 1.5 of the EMV SRC Specifications.

Comprising the Application Programming Interface (API) Specification and the Java Script Software Development Kit (SDK) Specification, the latest release provides a common baseline for the development of secure and interoperable digital payment solutions.

What is new in EMV Secure Remote Commerce Version 1.5?

In addition to editorial clarifications and general revisions, Version 1.5 introduces two major updates: support for electric vehicle (EV) open payments and the use of passkeys for card listing.

• EV open payments

Version 1.5 adds data elements that enable the use of EMV SRC technology for EMV-based open payments at EV charging stations supporting ISO 15118 Plug and Charge as described in the EV Open Payments Use Case document. This can help to promote a trusted, consistent and convenient EV charging payment experience for drivers everywhere.

Using EMV SRC technology also maximises global interoperability and supports compatibility with the existing charging infrastructure. No hardware changes are anticipated from EV manufacturers and charging station operators (CSOs) need only limited backend integration. This can help ease deployments, reduce costs and accelerate time-to-market.

• Passkeys for card listing

A passkey is a consumer-facing term for a Fast Identity Online (FIDO) authentication credential. Passkeys allow a user to authenticate themselves on a device with the same process that they use to unlock it, such as a biometric, a PIN or a pattern.

EMVCo has been engaging with industry participants to investigate the role of passkeys in EMV SRC systems to help ease the consumer journey, with research undertaken by EMVCo highlighting that consumers recognise the security benefits and convenience of using passkeys for payments.

Following this engagement, Version 1.5 introduces updates that enable consumers to create a passkey to access the enrolled cards linked to their SRC profile (known as card listing). This could remove the need for the consumer to enter a one-time passcode (OTP) each time they want to select a payment card.

What is next for EMV SRC?

In the near-term, EMVCo is working to advance the EMV SRC – Click to Pay Customer Experience (CX) Guidelines, which also form part of the EMV SRC Specifications, to help promote a consistent, convenient and secure digital payment experience. This includes supporting the use of passkeys, addressing the display of co-badged cards, and enabling consumers to easily and actively consent to new terms and conditions. 

EMVCo is also exploring new specification features, such as enabling merchants to create multiple payloads during a single transaction to promote flexible payment experiences.

Beyond these initiatives, there is a longer-term opportunity. EMVCo’s initial focus for the EMV SRC Specifications was to provide a common baseline for the development of Click to Pay payment solutions, which are indicated by the Click to Pay icon. Yet as the specifications have matured and industry adoption has built, new use cases such as EV charging have emerged that broaden the applications beyond e-commerce.   

This trend is set to continue. For instance, the potential for EMV SRC to support interoperable, open payments for road tolling is currently under active consideration by EMVCo. Agentic payments are another area of interest.

To foster continued innovation as more use cases arise, EMVCo is examining the opportunity to simplify the use of the EMV SRC Specifications to aid industry understanding. It is also examining how the Click to Pay icon – which is currently only defined for e-commerce scenarios – could be leveraged across other use cases to support consumer recognition and trust.

Shaping the future of EMV SRC together

As this work progresses, EMVCo is committed to engaging with the hundreds of industry stakeholders that contribute their knowledge and expertise as EMVCo Associates and Subscribers. All interested stakeholders are also encouraged to explore ways to participate in EMVCo and share their input and expertise.