Commercial Bank of Ceylon has become the first financial institution in Sri Lanka and South Asia to introduce advanced 3-D Secure (3DS 2.x) authentication for UnionPay e-commerce transactions, further strengthening the security and convenience of online payments for its UnionPay cardholders.

The enhancement enables UnionPay cards issued by the Bank to function as fully empowered e-commerce payment instruments, allowing customers to shop securely at millions of merchants worldwide while benefiting from global-standard fraud protection measures.

The new capability follows the integration of UnionPay cards into the Bank’s ComBank Access Control Server (ACS) platform, which supports UnionPay’s latest 3-D Secure protocol. The system uses Risk-Based Authentication (RBA) to assess online transactions in real time. Low-risk transactions are processed through a seamless authentication flow, while higher-risk transactions trigger an additional verification step using a One-Time Password (OTP) sent to the customer’s registered mobile number and email.

Commercial Bank Assistant General Manager – Personal Banking and Retail Products, Kapila Liyanage, said the initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to expanding Sri Lanka’s digital payments ecosystem and providing customers with secure, globally accepted payment solutions.

UnionPay International Country Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Crispin Wijesekera, said the introduction of 3D Secure authentication would strengthen trust and security in digital payments while delivering a smooth online shopping experience for cardholders.

The Bank noted that the implementation was achieved through its existing OTP distribution infrastructure, enabling seamless integration while meeting UnionPay’s certification standards and maintaining compatibility with authentication systems used by other international card networks.

Commercial Bank said the latest enhancement forms part of its broader strategy to deliver secure, reliable and internationally compliant digital payment solutions while supporting the continued growth of Sri Lanka’s digital commerce sector.