When we talk about payment orchestration, we usually focus on things like efficiency, the ability to reroute failed payments, and operational control. But there's one component that, although less visible, is essential for all of this to work smoothly: Agnostic 3DS.

In this article, we explain exactly what it is, why it's so relevant, and how it can directly impact your conversion rates.

What does payment orchestration offer?

Payment orchestration allows a company to connect with multiple processors and payment service providers (PSPs) and automatically decide which one to use for each transaction. This not only improves conversion but also helps reduce errors and, in many cases, optimize costs.

With a well-designed orchestration setup, you can:

• Reroute a payment to another processor if the first one fails (automatic fallback).

• Set dynamic rules based on the buyer’s country, card type, or issuer.

• Centralize all payment operations in a single dashboard, with full visibility.

Tip for businesses: if you operate in multiple markets or use several processors, orchestration isn’t a bonus feature. It’s a strategic tool.

3DS: What is it and why does it matter?

3-D Secure (3DS) is an authentication protocol that protects online payments by reducing fraud. It verifies the cardholder’s identity, usually through a prompt from the issuing bank via mobile, app, or one-time code.

This process is mandatory in many markets—especially in Europe after the enforcement of PSD2 under the Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) framework.

While authentication depends on the card issuer, the processor is the one that decides whether to trigger it during checkout. However, the issuer may still require 3DS to approve a transaction, even if the processor didn’t request it. That’s why managing and implementing 3DS has a real impact on the purchase experience.

Tip for businesses: Poor 3DS handling can lead to checkout abandonment. Understanding how you apply it and how it affects conversion helps you balance security and usability.

Technical detail:
A successful 3DS authentication generates certain values that must be tied to the original transaction:

• ECI (Electronic Commerce Indicator): shows whether 3DS was applied and with what result.

• Authentication value: a cryptographic value generated for each transaction, used to validate that it was authenticated successfully.

• Transaction IDs: unique identifiers for the authentication attempt (XID, TransID, ACSTransID…).

• Status: indicates whether the authentication was approved (Y), declined (N), or inconclusive (U), among others. Usually referred to as TransStatus.

• Version: specifies the version of 3DS used in the authentication.

The ECI code is especially important, as it defines the authentication level. For example, a value of 05 usually indicates a successful authentication using the 3DS 2.x protocol.

What is Agnostic 3DS and how is it different?

Agnostic 3DS, also known as 3DS Standalone, represents a key evolution in how the authentication protocol is applied. In a traditional flow, 3DS is triggered after selecting the processor. If that processor fails and another is used, the user has to re-authenticate—this complicates the experience and can hurt conversion.

With Agnostic 3DS, the logic is reversed: authentication happens before selecting the processor. The orchestrator handles it, stores the results, and reuses them when needed.

The flow works like this:

1. 3DS authentication is triggered before the processor is selected.

2. The results are securely stored.

3. These results are reused with any compatible processor to authorize the payment.

This approach decouples two steps that are normally tied together:

• Authentication: verifying the user’s identity.

• Payment confirmation by the issuing bank: checking available funds and approving the transaction.

The result? A single authentication can unlock multiple opportunities for success—even if the processor needs to be switched.

Technical detail:
The orchestrator must securely store the results and later send them to the processor as part of the confirmation. It’s important to note that not all processors support this flow via their APIs, so compatibility must be verified.

Benefits of Agnostic 3DS within a payment orchestration strategy

When orchestration is combined with Agnostic 3DS, the result is tangible optimization that affects both the technical side and conversion rates. Here are the main benefits:

Frictionless retries

In a conventional system, each retry after a technical failure requires a new authentication. With Agnostic 3DS, that barrier disappears: the user only authenticates once, even if multiple confirmation attempts are made later—maintaining a seamless experience.

Smoother checkout

Agnostic 3DS helps eliminate unnecessary validation steps, even when the first payment attempt fails. This improves user experience directly, boosts conversion rates, and reduces cart abandonment effectively.

Higher conversion

This approach helps recover payments that would otherwise be lost. It's ideal for complex flows involving multiple processors.

Tip for businesses: Agnostic 3DS isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the key to making your orchestration strategy truly impact user experience and business performance. In industries where every percentage point counts (retail, travel, subscriptions...), an efficient integration can weigh more than negotiating PSP fees.

Why does Agnostic 3DS make a difference?

Agnostic 3DS brings together the best of both worlds: advanced orchestration and a frictionless payment experience. Without it, every retry attempt adds a new barrier. With it, everything flows—the user avoids repeating steps, and the business stays in control.

At Zru, we support Agnostic 3DS, and our orchestration architecture is designed to take advantage of these details. Redirecting payments isn’t enough—you have to do it without sacrificing experience or operational efficiency.