08 April 2025
CelcomDigi has formed a strategic partnership with Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) aimed at bolstering digital security for financial transactions. This collaboration will utilize CelcomDigi’s open network APIs in alignment with the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.
PayNet, which handles over 13 million digital transactions daily, plans to leverage CelcomDigi’s API for the secure verification of DuitNow transactions. This will involve implementing SIM-based authentication to link DuitNow user IDs with users’ mobile numbers. DuitNow transactions can be initiated using mobile numbers, MyKad, or business registration numbers as user identifiers.
The API-based security approach will enable PayNet to ensure that the mobile number associated with a DuitNow user ID is both active and registered to the intended account holder. CelcomDigi asserted that associating DuitNow IDs with SIM cards adds a substantial layer of security, as SIM cards are unique and securely stored within mobile devices, making them difficult to replicate. This mechanism serves as a more secure alternative to traditional one-time passwords (OTPs).
Both companies emphasized that the partnership aims to proactively combat the increasing threat of online scams and fraud within the digital financial landscape. Scammers often exploit gaps in user security, capitalizing on vulnerabilities in authentication and access protocols.
“As scams and fraud rise — especially in the age of artificial intelligence — this initiative comes at a pivotal moment, reinforcing the need for stronger security against increasingly sophisticated threats,” said CelcomDigi CEO Idham Nawawi.
In addition to transaction verification, the partnership will include collaboration with financial institutions and the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) through PayNet’s National Fraud Portal (NFP). This effort aims to enhance the management of scam reports and facilitate the sharing of real-time fraud intelligence. The NFP, launched by PayNet in 2024, provides valuable reports to CelcomDigi, enabling rapid response capabilities to flag, block, and blacklist phone numbers associated with scams. This mechanism helps prevent fraudsters from exploiting flagged numbers to create new accounts.
“This partnership builds on the National Fraud Portal by adding real-time account verification through CelcomDigi, providing an extra layer of security for users,” said PayNet’s Group CEO Farhan Ahmad.
By harnessing open APIs and fostering collaborative innovation, the partnership is promoting a future where financial security and inclusion are mutually reinforcing, empowering both individuals and businesses to conduct transactions with confidence in an increasingly digital economy.
