Electronic Commerce Indicator (ECI)

The Electronic Commerce Indicator (ECI) is a specific number used in card-not-present transactions to indicate the level of security employed during the acquisition of a customer's payment credentials. This number is an integral component of the authorization request sent during each transaction and plays a critical role in the security and verification processes of online payments.

The ECI provides important information to the payment processor and card issuer about how payment information was secured at the point of transaction. For instance, it distinguishes between transactions where strong customer authentication, like 3-D Secure, was used and those where less secure methods were employed. This is crucial for assessing the risk associated with the transaction and determining who will be liable if a chargeback due to fraud occurs.

Different card networks—such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover—may use different ECI values to represent the security context of transactions. These indicators help ensure that electronic payments are processed with an understanding of the security measures in place, thereby facilitating a safer e-commerce environment. The use of ECI is particularly important in managing the security of online transactions, aligning with industry standards and compliance requirements like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).