💳 2D vs 3D Payment Gateway – What’s the Real Difference?
2D vs 3D Payment Gateway – Which One Is Safe & Why It Matters
Explore 2D vs 3D payment gateways — learn which one is secure, how RBI rules affect it, and expert tips from Cyber Security Engineer Anil Kumar Sen at anilsen.site.
While making online payments, you might have noticed that sometimes the transaction goes through instantly, and sometimes you’re asked to verify via OTP or bank authentication.
That’s exactly the difference between 2D and 3D payment gateways.
🔹 2D Payment Gateway
In a 2D gateway, the payment is processed without OTP or bank verification.
You just enter your card number, expiry date, and CVV — and the payment goes through.
➡️ Fast but Risky
➡️ Higher chances of fraud
➡️ Almost discontinued in India as per RBI guidelines
Examples: PayPal (for some international transactions), Authorize.Net, Braintree, etc.
🔹 3D Payment Gateway
A 3D gateway adds an extra layer of authentication, such as an OTP or password verification from your bank.
➡️ Slightly slower but very secure
➡️ Significantly reduces fraud risks
➡️ Mandatory in India under RBI regulations
Examples: Razorpay, Paytm, CCAvenue, Stripe (India), Cashfree, etc.
🔸 Why 3D Secure Matters
RBI enforced 3D Secure to prevent fraud, unauthorized payments, and data theft.
Modern gateways like Razorpay and Paytm ensure this by redirecting users to a secure bank page for OTP verification.
✅ Which One Should Developers or Businesses Choose?
If you’re operating in India, always choose a 3D Secure Payment Gateway (Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree).
If you’re working with international clients or SaaS products,
you can use Stripe, PayPal, or Braintree, where 2D flows are sometimes handled automatically depending on region and card type.