⚡ Quick summary (TL;DR)
What it is: the in-app remark “3D Secure verification fee” is charged when a merchant starts a 3DS (3-D Secure) cardholder check.
Rate: $0.03 per attempt. There is no monthly free quota for this fee.
Separate from Validation: the Auth/Verify Fee (account verification / pre-auth tests) has 10 free attempts per account per month, then $0.80 — see validation and declined-transaction fees.
You cannot turn 3DS on or off: merchants and network risk rules decide.
📖 Overview
3DS (3-D Secure) is the cardholder verification step for online card payments, initiated by the merchant at checkout. Visa’s brand name is Visa Secure. When a check is triggered, MPChat charges a 3D Secure verification fee of $0.03 for that attempt.
This fee is not the same as the Auth/Verify Fee (account verification / authorization fee) used for merchant bind tests and $0 / $1 pre-auth identity checks. For monthly waivers on that fee, see validation and declined-transaction fees.
🔐 What 3DS is and when it triggers
3DS confirms the person at checkout is the cardholder and reduces fraud. After a successful check, liability for fraud often shifts from the merchant to the issuer — which is why merchants start it.
Common triggers:
First bind or subscription at a merchant.
Larger amounts, or many payments on the same card in a short window.
Regions that require strong customer authentication for online payments (for example the European Economic Area).
Billing address or exit IP that does not match the usual environment.
A small pre-authorization test before a real charge (that hold is separate; the 3DS fee is the network check charge).
After a trigger, checkout usually shows a verification window. The one-time code is sent to your MPChat registered email and in-app notification. How to receive the code: Can I set up 3DS for payments?. Not every purchase triggers 3DS; if it does not fire, this fee is not charged.
💰 How the fee is charged
You check out; the merchant starts a 3DS challenge.
MPChat records a $0.03 3D Secure verification fee for that attempt.
The fee appears as its own line in transaction history with the remark “3D Secure verification fee”.
Full rate table: MPChat Card Limits and Fees.
💱 Pricing and USDT billing
The rate is priced in USD ($0.03). At billing it is converted to USDT at the then-current rate and rounded up to 2 decimal places. That is why $0.03 often shows as 0.04 USDT — the difference is rounding, not an extra fee.
✅ How to reduce this fee
Avoid rapid retries of the same payment after a failure; fix the cause first.
Keep enough balance before bind or subscribe so merchants do not re-challenge.
If the card is declined, follow Card transaction declined instead of spamming pay.
❓ FAQ
Can I turn 3DS off myself?
No. Merchants initiate 3DS. You cannot switch it on or off in the MPChat App.
Why does my bill show 0.04 USDT instead of 0.03 USD?
USD rates are billed from your USDT balance. Conversion plus rounding up to 2 decimals often turns $0.03 into 0.04 USDT. That difference is rounding.
Is this the same as the Auth/Verify Fee / validation fee?
No. Auth/Verify Fee covers merchant account verification / pre-auth identity tests (10 free per account per month, then $0.80). This article is only about the 3DS $0.03 fee. See validation and declined-transaction fees.
The payment failed — why is there still a 3DS fee?
The fee is for the verification attempt itself. If the merchant started 3DS, the attempt can be billed even when the purchase does not complete.