If you’ve ever worried about entering your bank card details on a website, Banque Populaire says it has a solution.
The bank has launched L’INSTANT, a new virtual card that can be used only once for online purchases. Available through the Pocket Bank mobile app, the service lets customers create a free temporary card for each transaction instead of using their main bank card.
The idea is simple. Customers generate a virtual card in a few seconds, use it to pay online, and once the purchase is completed, the card details automatically expire.
According to Banque Populaire, this means shoppers no longer need to share the details of their primary bank card with online retailers, reducing the risk of fraud or data theft.
The service works on both Moroccan and international websites and is offered free of charge.
The launch comes as online fraud continues to be a concern for many consumers. Phishing scams, fake websites and data breaches have become more common in recent years. If a merchant’s database is hacked, a one-time virtual card would already be useless because it can no longer be used after the original purchase.
The move also reflects the rapid growth of online shopping in Morocco. Online card payments have exceeded 22 billion dirhams, while internet access now reaches more than 84% of the population, representing around 33 million users.
Despite this growth, many Moroccans still prefer to pay cash when their order arrives. Industry estimates suggest that between 60% and 80% of online shoppers continue to use cash on delivery.
Fear of scams, concerns about bank card security and doubts about refunds remain some of the main reasons.
