Credit Card Payer Authentication in NetSuite 2026.1

TL;DR Opening

Starting in NetSuite 2026.1, credit card payer authentication allows customers on your Commerce website to set up a password linked to their credit cards, enhancing the security of online transactions and reducing the risk of chargebacks.

What's New in 2026.1

The introduction of credit card payer authentication is designed to bolster security for transactions conducted through your NetSuite Commerce web stores. This feature not only protects your business from potential chargebacks but also enhances customer confidence when checking out. By enabling payer authentication, customers can link a password to their credit cards, which helps verify ownership during the payment process.

When this feature is activated, a few significant changes occur:

• Customer Interaction: After customers place an order, they are redirected to a payer authentication site to enter or create their password. They also have the option to skip this step if desired.
• Order Confirmation: Once the authentication process is complete, customers are returned to the confirmation page of your website, and the order is recorded in your NetSuite account.
• Sales Order Updates: A new Payer Authentication Status field is added to sales orders, indicating whether the authentication was successful, failed, or skipped.

Supported Credit Card Gateways

Payer authentication is available through several credit card gateways:

• MerchantE
• CyberSource
• eWAY Rapid
• Payflow Pro
• WorldPay

Important Note: If you are using CyberSource or MerchantE, you will need to contact them to enable this feature for your account before you can activate it in NetSuite. For those using Payflow Pro, enrollment in PayPal’s Buyer Authentication Service is required via your PayPal Manager account.

How to Enable Credit Card Payer Authentication

To set up payer authentication in your NetSuite environment:

1. Navigate to Setup > Accounting > Financial Statements > Payment Processing Profiles.
2. Find the credit card gateway you intend to utilize and click Edit.
3. In the Primary section, check the box for Payer Authentication.
4. Save your changes.

Caution: If you prefer to use 3D Secure 2 payment flows, do not enable this payer authentication feature. See the relevant documentation for more details on 3D Secure Payment Authentication.

Once set up, customers will be redirected to the payer authentication site after they submit their credit card order, allowing for an added layer of security during the checkout process.

Who This Affects

This update impacts the following roles and modules:

• Administrators: Responsible for configuring payment gateways and security settings.
• Developers: Involved in integrating and customizing payment processes.
• E-commerce Managers: Oversee online transaction security and customer checkout experience.
• Accountants: May need to reconcile and manage sales orders reflecting payer authentication statuses.

Key Takeaways

• Payer authentication enhances security for credit card transactions on Commerce websites.
• Customers can set up a password linked to their credit cards for verification purposes.
• New Payer Authentication Status field added to sales orders for tracking authentication outcomes.
• Activation of this feature requires adjustments with specific payment gateways.
• Ensure compliance with preferred payment methods and customer experience expectations.