How can passkeys be integrated into mobile banking apps?

How Can Passkeys Be Integrated into Mobile Banking Apps?#

Banks looking to enhance security and streamline authentication can integrate passkeys into their mobile banking apps. Passkeys provide a passwordless, phishing-resistant login experience while ensuring compliance with PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).

1. Use WebAuthn and Platform-Specific APIs#

To integrate passkeys, mobile banking apps must use WebAuthn, a standardized authentication protocol that enables secure, device-bound authentication. Integration steps include:

• iOS (Apple Passkeys via iCloud Keychain)
  • Use AuthenticationServices.framework to manage passkey registration and authentication.
  • Leverage Face ID or Touch ID for seamless authentication.
  • Store passkeys in iCloud Keychain for multi-device access.
• Android (Google Passkeys via Google Password Manager)
  • Use Google Play Services Credential Manager API for passkey handling.
  • Enable biometric authentication with FingerprintManager or BiometricPrompt API.
  • Store passkeys in Google Password Manager for cross-device synchronization.

2. Enable Biometric Authentication for Seamless Login#

Passkeys eliminate passwords by binding authentication to a user’s device and biometrics. Mobile banking apps can:

• Use Face ID, Touch ID (iOS) or Fingerprint/Face Unlock (Android) for passkey login.
• Offer a fallback PIN-based authentication method for users without biometrics.
• Provide a one-tap login experience without requiring passwords or SMS OTPs.

3. Securely Store and Manage Passkeys#

Passkeys are stored securely in platform-managed credential vaults like:

• iCloud Keychain (Apple)
• Google Password Manager (Android) These storage methods ensure private key encryption, preventing unauthorized access while allowing cross-device synchronization.

4. Ensure Compliance with PSD2 and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)#

For mobile banking apps in the EU market, passkeys must comply with PSD2 SCA requirements, which mandate:

• Possession factor – The registered device acts as proof of ownership.
• Inherence factor – Biometrics (Face ID, Touch ID) fulfill the second factor.
• Dynamic linking – Passkeys can generate transaction-specific authentication codes for secure payments.

5. Provide a Smooth User Experience and Onboarding#

To drive adoption, banks must simplify passkey registration and login:

• Allow easy passkey setup during app onboarding.
• Educate users on the security benefits of passkeys over passwords.
• Provide secure fallback options like recovery codes or secondary authentication methods.

Conclusion: Secure, Phishing-Resistant Mobile Banking#

By integrating passkeys with WebAuthn, biometrics, and platform credential managers, banks can replace passwords, improve security, and enhance user experience. Passkeys ensure PSD2 compliance, provide frictionless authentication, and protect users from phishing attacks.

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About Corbado

Corbado is the Passkey Intelligence Platform for CIAM teams running consumer authentication at scale. We help you see what IDP logs and generic analytics tools can't: which devices, OS versions, browsers and credential managers support passkeys, why enrollments don't turn into logins, where the WebAuthn flow fails and when an OS / browser update silently breaks login, all without replacing Okta, Auth0, Ping, Cognito or your in-house IDP. Two products: Corbado Observe layers observability for passkeys and any other login method. Corbado Connect adds managed passkeys with analytics built in (alongside your IDP). VicRoads runs passkeys for 5M+ users with Corbado (+80% passkey activation). Talk to a Passkey Expert →