SEB Baltic taps Entersekt for payment authentication

Entersekt has partnered with SEB Baltic on digital payment authentication across the Baltic region. SEB Baltic is using Entersekt's hosted 3-D Secure Access Control Server.

The arrangement focuses on 3-D Secure transactions and background authentication as part of SEB Baltic's broader payment authentication approach. The system supports multiple authentication methods designed to match checks to the risk level of different payment journeys.

The two companies have worked through the technical, regulatory and operational demands of running payment authentication at scale. This has included discussions on data protection rules, changes to customer authentication and the broader role of risk-based authentication in payments.

The partnership gives SEB Baltic a way to manage card payment authentication as fraud patterns and regulatory expectations shift across Europe. It also reflects Entersekt's push to deepen its presence in payment security after expanding its 3-D Secure business through an acquisition in Finland in 2023.

SEB is a northern European financial services group with operations in more than 20 countries and about 18,400 employees. At the end of June, the group reported total assets of SEK 4,355 billion and assets under management of SEK 3,069 billion.

Authentication focus

For banks, payment authentication has become a more visible part of the customer experience as regulators and card schemes place greater emphasis on strong customer checks without adding unnecessary friction to online transactions. Hosted access control servers are used by card issuers to manage 3-D Secure authentication, a standard designed to verify cardholders in digital commerce.

SEB Baltic said the relationship has been shaped by practical work to adapt authentication to changing market conditions. The bank described the collaboration as extending beyond software provision, with a focus on responding to new requirements as payment systems evolve.

"For us, a successful technology partnership is about more than the capabilities of the platform. It is about having a partner that understands our challenges, listens to our requirements and works with us to find practical solutions as the market evolves. Entersekt has consistently demonstrated that level of collaboration," said Gintautas Giržadas, Chief Product Owner of Cards & Payments Solutions at SEB Baltic.

Giržadas also highlighted the growing complexity facing banks in payments.

"The payments environment is becoming more complex. Having a partner that is willing to engage with us on a deeper level than simply providing a product is extremely valuable," said Giržadas.

Regional context

The Baltic market has been active in digital banking adoption, making authentication systems an important line of defence against card fraud and account compromise. Financial institutions in the region also operate under broader European rules on payment security and personal data handling, which can affect how banks design customer journeys for online purchases.

Entersekt said its work with SEB Baltic has covered not only technical requirements but also the operational and customer implications of security standards. This reflects a broader industry challenge: issuers must keep fraud controls effective while avoiding unnecessary failed transactions or added steps that discourage customers from completing purchases.

The company, founded in 2010, says it serves financial institutions worldwide and holds more than 120 patents. It also says it processes more than 7.5 billion transactions for more than 250 million cardholders and more than 450,000 merchants through nearly 900 banks in more than 70 countries.

For Entersekt, the SEB Baltic relationship illustrates how suppliers are trying to position themselves as long-term partners to banks rather than single-product vendors. In a market where authentication standards, fraud tactics and compliance demands change regularly, service providers that can adapt systems without disrupting customers may have an advantage.

"The strongest partnerships are built around a shared ambition, not a fixed technology roadmap," said Alessio Massagrande, Customer Success Manager at Entersekt. "Our work with SEB is a great example of how close collaboration helps both organizations navigate change, solve practical challenges and continually consider how authentication can better support security and customer experience."