Why Push Provisioning is a power-move for issuers to drive adoption, activation and transactions for customers
Cardholders trust what they can hold. The tactile experience of a physical debit or credit card reinforces legitimacy, security, and familiarity—core psychological drivers of consumer trust. With over 2 billion cards in circulation in the U.S. and 90% of adults with a debit card, it’s clear that this trust translates into action.
But trust alone isn’t enough. As digital wallets become more embedded in everyday life, speed and convenience are no longer optional—they’re expected. Card issuers must ensure their cards remain the preferred choice, even in digital environments. That’s where push provisioning comes in: by enabling fast, frictionless wallet enrollment, issuers can meet cardholders where they are—without sacrificing the trust built through physical card experiences.
A balanced strategy that honors both the consumer confidence in physical cards and the immediacy of digital wallets is key to sustaining cardholder loyalty and protecting interchange revenue.
An empowering option for issuers
Just as a physical card is automatically ordered when a cardholder opens an account, a digital version should be seamlessly embedded into the onboarding experience—issued alongside the card to ensure immediate access across both physical and digital channels. Push Provisioning offers a path for the issuer to securely “push” a payment card into a mobile wallet, removing the onus from the cardholder to manually do so. Offering this capability in your mobile banking experience not only increases the likelihood the cardholder will perform this action, but often enables them to do so before its physical side-car has arrived. The cardholder simply opts in to authorize the provisioning event, resulting in a seamless, easy experience. What’s more, now issuers can facilitate this push even without a financial institution app. Web Push Provisioning (WPP) expands onboarding options, and allows issuers to serve cardholders who open new accounts or request replacement cards all within their digital banking platform.
Driving digital wallet usage has advantages
Pushing credentials into the cardholder’s preferred wallet faster, enables them to use their card sooner at a point-of-sale. Studies have shown that after adopting mobile wallets, consumers increase transaction frequency, plus their total transaction amounts go up by 2.4%. By boosting transaction volume, issuers can increase interchange income and generate additional revenue within their portfolios. All-the-while creating an easier, more frictionless process for the cardholder, helping to drive adoption, activation, and usage for the issuer.
Read a Case Study about how CPI helped First State Bank of Gainesville double their digital wallet users in just two months with Push Provisioning.
Meeting your customers where they are
When it comes to today’s buying experience, the data is clear—customers like options. According to CPI’s online survey of more than 2,000 consumers, nearly three-quarters of respondents “totally agreed” with the statement “I like having the choice to use a card or a smart device to make purchases,” representing a 20-point jump from survey participants in November of 2022.
Further data from our survey indicates that consumers are using both physical and digital payment options. Over 70% of debit and credit cardholders used their smartphone to make a purchase in the past month, with 64% of those “using a card loaded into my smartphone,” and 11% “using a card loaded to my smartwatch.”
When asked about the appeal of Push Provisioning, the 18-37 group were most enthusiastic. 71% found the idea of their financial institution populating their mobile wallet with new payment information appealing, outlining the shift in expectation that the on-boarding process for cardholders is no longer complete without a strategy that addresses fulfillment of their card in both a physical and digital medium.
Push provisioning bridges this gap-ensuring cardholders can transact more quickly, while still reinforcing trust through physical cards with 55% of traditional banks and credit unions—along with a majority of challenger banks and fintechs—already offering this service. Now is the time to activate push provisioning in your card program, to meet the modern expectations of your cardholders, and position your institution as both responsive and forward-thinking.
CPI offers issuers a one-stop shop for all your omnichannel payment needs, including physical cards, in-branch instant issuance, digital card issuance, and push provisioning. Uniquely positioned as plug-and-play and processor agnostic, our digital solutions integrate seamlessly with all leading mobile wallet apps.
About the author
Megan Meek
is CPI's Director of Digital Solutions
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