Nuvei has introduced PINless Debit and Least Cost Routing services to its Authorization Optimization portfolio.

These additions are expected to enhance the authorization rate for North American merchants, potentially increasing it by up to 3.5% points for relevant transactions.

This move is integral to Nuvei’s plan to strengthen its presence in North America through locally optimized performance. As regulations, issuer behaviors, and consumer payment preferences evolve, Nuvei’s advanced routing and authorization tools offer merchants the necessary control and flexibility to improve approval rates, reduce costs, and boost growth in the payments sector.

Insights into PINless Debit and Least Cost Routing

Nuvei’s intelligent routing engine leverages real-time artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to determine the most efficient pathway for each transaction, factoring in issuer behavior, network protocols, card metadata, and regional preferences. Notable routing features include Intelligent Routing (which routes transactions through the best-performing bank or card network) and PINless Debit Routing (which directs eligible debit cards via lower-cost networks with a fallback to Visa/Mastercard).

To ensure that once a transaction reaches its destination, it has the highest chance of being approved, Nuvei’s smart authorization stack dynamically configures payloads and message formats based on issuer-specific logic. This includes Smart Auth Messaging (which adjusts messages according to issuer requirements), Network Tokens (aimed at increasing issuer trust through Visa and Mastercard network tokens), and One-Click Payments (which streamlines repeat transactions with a token-based experience).

In cases where a transaction fails, Nuvei’s Smart Retry capabilities kick in to recover revenue without disrupting the customer experience. This feature analyzes failure reasons and automatically retries transactions through alternative paths. Additional components of the Smart Retry engine include Account Updater (which refreshes expired or replaced card credentials), Bank Failover Routing (which routes the transaction to a backup bank or alternate payment method if the primary path declines), and Auth Reconfiguration (which modifies message formats dynamically based on issuer response codes).

The Control Layer of Nuvei’s Authorization Optimization Suite provides merchants with detailed visibility into their performance. By combining AI-powered tools with human support, Nuvei helps businesses understand and enhance the effectiveness of their payment processes. Key analytics include AI-Powered Approval Analysis (which identifies unrealized approval opportunities by issuer, region, or transaction type), Performance Insights and Trend Monitoring (which track improvements in authorization success over time), as well as Risk and Reporting Dashboards (which provide real-time visualizations of fraud, scheme behavior, and exceptions).