Visa has launched a new tap-based identity verification system with fintech company Keyno and Fidelity Bank (Bahamas), allowing customers to activate cards and confirm identity by tapping their physical Visa card against a mobile phone instead of using passwords or one-time passcodes.

The payments giant said the technology, called Tap to Confirm and Tap to Activate, uses the EMV [Europay, Mastercard, and Visa] chip embedded in Visa cards alongside Visa’s Chip Authenticate service to verify cardholders through banking apps.

The system is being rolled out first through Fidelity Bank (Bahamas )’s FIDSECURE mobile app and is designed to reduce reliance on SMS [short message service] verification codes, call centre authentication and manual card activation processes.

“As commerce becomes increasingly digital, identity verification has emerged as one of the defining challenges of modern banking and payments,” Visa said in the announcement, adding that the solution turns the physical card into a digital identity credential that works through a simple tap inside a banking app.

Visa said the technology could also be used for higher-risk activities such as password changes, mailing address updates, high-value transfers and account limit modifications. The company added that the solution provides “EMV-level security” while reducing friction for users.

Mike Romero, head of digital solutions for Visa Latin America and the Caribbean, said the company was seeking to make identity verification easier and more secure by leveraging its payments infrastructure.

“With tap authentication, Visa is transforming the card in your wallet into a secure, intuitive identity credential,” Romero said.

Keyno chief executive Robert J Steinman said the partnership aims to make digital banking “safer, simpler, and more trusted with just a tap”.

Visa said the initial Fidelity rollout is already live, with broader expansion planned during 2026.