Push provisioning has become essential in digital payments because it enroll payment cards into digital wallets instantly and securely – without requiring cardholders to manually type card details or download a different app first, to allow the use of digital wallets. The shift toward digital-first experiences and tokenized cards is accelerating. Mastercard plans to eliminate manual card entry by 2030, pushing issuers toward secure, frictionless digital onboarding flows. At the same time, over 81% of consumers say “anytime, anywhere access” influences their choice of financial institution – raising expectations for immediate wallet availability.
Following this trend, ecosystem requirements are evolving as well. Apple now requires issuers without a mobile app to support web‑based wallet provisioning, pushing many issuers to adopt browser‑based enrollment as part of their standard card activation experience. With these changes underway, issuers face distinct ways for cardholders to add cards to mobile wallets. Understanding the differences is critical for designing a modern, frictionless onboarding journey.
Key Takeaways:
- Push provisioning enables issuers to enroll payment cards into digital wallets instantly, without manual card entry.
- Major ecosystem shifts – including Mastercard’s move to eliminate manual entry and Apple’s requirement for non‑app issuers to support web provisioning – are accelerating adoption.
- Standard push provisioning starts within the mobile banking app, offering a smooth one‑tap experience but requiring users to download and authenticate within the app.
- New from Entrust: Web Push Provisioning delivers the same secure, issuer‑initiated experience – but directly from any browser, without needing a mobile app. This makes provisioning more accessible and supports multi‑device enrollment for Apple Pay.
Digital Wallet Enrollment Methods: Manual, In‑App, and Web Push Provisioning
Manual Card Entry
For years, the standard way to add a card to a digital wallet has been manual card entry. Here, users either type in their card details or scan their physical card directly inside Apple Pay or Google Wallet. Although familiar, this method introduces considerable friction: users must locate their physical card, enter sensitive information manually, and complete additional authentication later in the flow. From a security perspective, manual entry exposes card data to typing errors, shoulder surfing, or malware. It also restricts enrollment to the device in hand – for example, Apple Pay will only add the card to the same device used during the entry process. For issuers, the result is predictable: high drop-off and inconsistent activation.
Push Provisioning from the Mobile Banking App
Push provisioning first gained traction within issuer mobile apps. In this model, the user authenticates in the mobile banking app, selects an “Add to Wallet” button, and completes the process with a single tap. Because the app already knows the cardholder and their card details, the tokenization and wallet handoff are fast, secure, and fully contained within the app environment. This approach offers an excellent user experience – but only if the cardholder is a mobile app user. It requires the cardholder to have the banking app installed, be logged in, and complete the action on the same device where the card will be used. Many cardholders, however, do not use their issuer app regularly, or may prefer banking on desktop – leaving gaps in reach and adoption.
Advantages: In‑app push provisioning provides the smoothest, lowest‑friction experience for users already inside the banking app. It offers strong security and a tightly integrated flow but depends on high app adoption.
What Is Web Push Provisioning? Benefits & Use Cases for Issuers
Web Push Provisioning – now available from Entrust – brings push provisioning to any browser, allowing cardholders to add their card to Apple Pay or Google Wallet directly from desktop, tablet, or mobile. Users simply authenticate through online banking, click “Add to Wallet,” and complete the wallet login. No app download, no typing card numbers, and no dependency on specific devices.
This model also enables multi‑device enrollment for Apple Pay, allowing users to add their card to iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad in a single session – a capability not possible with manual entry or app‑based provisioning. Because the issuer initiates tokenization and no sensitive data is exposed, the security level remains high.
Advantages: Web push provisioning dramatically broadens reach by enabling wallet enrollment from any browser, even for users who never download the mobile app. It offers a low‑friction, secure, and highly accessible way to drive adoption across all cardholder segments.
Which Push Provisioning Method Is Best? Use Cases & Ideal Fit
Mobile App Push Provisioning: Best for issuers with strong mobile‑app adoption who want to offer a seamless, in‑app experience. Ideal for digitally engaged cardholders already using the banking app as their main channel.
Web Push Provisioning: Best for all issuers, especially:
- Those without a mobile app (this now required by Apple for wallet support)
- Issuers wanting to reach desktop‑first users, infrequent app users, or cardholders without smartphones
- Prepaid, gift, benefit, and corporate card programs with no native app presence
- Issuers looking to complement in‑app flows and boost overall tokenization volumes
- Organizations seeking a fast integration path with minimal IT effort (JS snippet + 1 API call)
About the Entrust Web Push Provisioning Solution
Entrust’s Web Push Provisioning solution is designed to make digital wallet enrollment accessible, simple, and secure for every issuer – regardless of whether a mobile app exists. The experience is intuitive: cardholders authenticate in online banking, click “Add to Wallet,” sign in to their Apple or Google account, select their devices, and instantly add their card. No manual entry. No app dependency.
The solution is device‑agnostic, working seamlessly across desktop, mobile, and tablet. Apple Pay users can even provision the card to multiple devices at once. Cardholders can be reached through campaigns triggered via web, email, SMS, or QR code, enabling issuers to promote wallet adoption across channels.
From a technical standpoint, Entrust offers one of the lightest integration paths in the market. Issuers can go live using a simple JavaScript snippet and a single web service call, eliminating the complexity of SDK maintenance or mobile app builds. The solution is fully aligned with tokenization requirements for all major wallet ecosystems, ensuring high security while removing exposure of card credentials.
From a value perspective, Entrust helps issuers expand digital reach, accelerate card activation, and increase tokenized card volumes – with measurable improvements in adoption and day‑one usage. It supports debit, credit, prepaid, gift, benefit, and corporate card programs, and provides a powerful complement to existing in‑app provisioning for issuers who already offer it (also available with Entrust). Learn more here: Fact sheet
Conclusion
As the payments ecosystem shifts firmly toward digital‑first experiences, issuers need activation journeys that are secure, seamless, and accessible to every cardholder. Manual card entry is fading, in‑app provisioning remains powerful for mobile‑engaged users, and web push provisioning now provides the universal, app‑free pathway that meets today’s expectations and tomorrow’s requirements.
Entrust’s Web Push Provisioning solution equips issuers to reach all cardholders, comply with evolving Apple and Mastercard mandates, reduce friction, and increase activation and wallet usage rates – all with minimal integration effort and maximum scalability.
To learn more about how Entrust Web Push Provisioning works – including supported ecosystems, integration steps, UX flows, and real‑world use cases – download the full fact sheet and watch our webinar on-demand where our product team walks through the solution, showcases live flows, and answers audience questions.
