Brazilian e-commerce loses between R$120 and R$150 billion annually in denied payments for card-not-present transactions. This doesn’t happen due to lack of demand or supply issues, but rather due to a structural flaw in customer identity validation in the online environment. Data from Abecs, the Brazilian Credit Card and Services Companies Association, shows that in 2024, the online payments market handled R$1 trillion, and Unico data reveals that between 10% and 15% of purchases are denied, often without any relation to fraud.
Traditional antifraud systems, based on risk analysis models and certain behavioral patterns, often fail to differentiate legitimate customers from fraud attempts. The impact is direct on retailers’ revenue and, especially, on consumer experience, as payments are frequently denied without justification, even when correct data and active cards are presented.
In this context, Unico, identity validation network, presents at VTEX Day 2025 Unico IDPay, technology that has transformed facial biometrics into a revenue growth and security engine for e-commerce. The solution combines identity authentication through a robust data network, artificial intelligence, and behavioral information to validate high-risk online credit card purchases. Present in four of Brazil’s five largest banks and over 50 brands and retailers, Unico IDPay enables financial institutions to approve e-commerce payments that would be denied by traditional methods.
The impact of this transformation is visible. Since its launch in May 2023, Unico IDPay has securely approved over R$11 billion in sales that would have been lost if only traditional antifraud and risk analysis methods were used. Currently, the solution approves over R$1.3 billion in transactions monthly. These results become even more significant during major retail peaks. On Mother’s Day 2025, for example, transactions approved by the platform grew 582% compared to the same period in 2024, jumping from R$42 million to R$291 million in over 228,000 validated payments.
This impact generates direct benefits for major retailers’ results. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024, two of Brazil’s largest retail groups recorded an average 75% growth in validated transaction volume, with GMV increases of up to 359%. In consecutive months, the scenario confirms: “We recovered over R$340 million from January to April 2025 in purchases that might not have happened if we hadn’t invested in improving consumer experience and reducing economic losses,” says Vital Leite, Executive Director of Financial Solutions at Casas Bahia.
One reason for Unico IDPay’s higher secure approval rate, consequently increasing business margins, is the integration of facial biometrics directly into the purchase flow, without redirects or additional steps, which reduces cart abandonment and significantly improves consumer experience at payment. Unlike traditional models based on assumptions and probabilities, identity validation combined with real-time connection to banks and card issuers ensures the buyer is indeed the cardholder, eliminating uncertainties and friction that harm e-commerce.
“Identity validation is no longer just a fraud barrier. It has become the engine ensuring trust, security, and growth in Brazilian e-commerce. When we transform identity into a business asset, the results are clear: more sales, less friction, and more trust for consumers and businesses,” explains Paulo Naliato, Chief Growth Officer at Unico.
New validation standard
Unico IDPay’s efficiency relies on the network effect of Unico’s own technology, present in over 23 sectors of the Brazilian economy. When a customer makes a purchase, they’ve already been validated in other digital environments, allowing biometrics to act deterministically and precisely in identity confirmation. “When we validate with IDPay, we ensure that person is who they claim to be,” comments the executive.
“Thus, lack of recurrence in e-commerce ceases to be an obstacle. Sometimes a payment is denied because it deviates from a person’s usual behavior—whether due to a higher amount, different item, time, or store. If this customer falls into a probabilistic model trying to guess risk, they’re much more likely to be blocked. Unico’s deterministic model eliminates doubt, brings more security, and improves results for all involved,” concludes Naliato.
ServiceDate: June 2-3, 2025
Location: São Paulo Expo – Rodovia dos Imigrantes, 1.5 km — Vila Água Funda
Booth D7
Booth activation: Interactive experience showcasing the consumer journey in different card-not-present purchase scenarios—such as credit card, payment link, and third-party card purchases—highlighting Unico IDPay’s benefits at each stage. The space will feature real-time demonstrations and client case presentations from PagBank, Cielo, PagPlan, Trocafone, and Casas Bahia.
