Braintree Data-Only: Maximize Revenue with Minimal Effort

What is PayPal Braintree Data Only?

PayPal Braintree Data Only is a payment optimization tool designed to help improve authorization rate performance by addressing issuer uncertainty. Instead of relying on traditional authentication methods, Data Only uses the data-capture element of 3D Secure (3DS) to help provide enriched transaction data—such as device, browser, and contextual attributes—to issuers.

Data Only specifically targets declines caused by Do Not Honor and Fraud Suspected codes, which are often linked to insufficient information. By helping bridge this gap, Data Only helps empower issuers to make smarter authorization decisions, which can lead to fewer unnecessary declines and boosted merchant revenue.

How Data Only Works

Data Only transactions leverage the existing 3DS infrastructure, helping to offer a seamless integration for merchants already using Braintree 3DS. During checkout, Data Only:

• Data Collection: Data Only can capture key transaction attributes, including device fingerprints, browser details, and other transaction-related data points

• Data Transmission: The enriched data points are sent to issuers using the 3DS rails to help provide real-time transaction insights.

• Issuer Decision-Making: Armed with actionable intelligence, issuers can evaluate transactions with greater confidence, potentially leading to high approval rates.

By focusing on data-sharing rather than authentication, Data Only turns the 3DS framework into a powerful tool for optimization.

Why Data Only Matters

Data Only helps address key challenges in payment processing while offering benefits to merchants and customers alike, including:

• Optimized Authorization Rates: By reducing declines caused by vague issuer codes like Do Not Honor and Fraud Suspected, merchants may be able to recover lost revenue from previously declined transactions.

• Low-Friction Checkout: Customers may experience a smooth, uninterrupted checkout process, helping reduce cart abandonment and enhancing satisfaction.

• Low Effort for Merchants: Existing Braintree 3DS users can implement Data Only with minimal changes to deploy the feature.

• Enriched Insights for Issuers: Data-Only helps equip issuers with additional context to help increase confidence to approve legitimate transactions while mitigating fraud risks.

Enhancing Transaction Outcomes

Data Only combines the latest advancements in data analytics to drive a seamless merchant and customer experience, and may help with:

• Higher Approval Rates: Empowering issuers with detailed transaction insights can enable smart authorization decisions, potentially leading to high authorization rate performance.

• Improved Fraud Detection: Enriched data helps issuers distinguish between legitimate transactions and fraudulent ones more effectively.

• Clear Liability Rules: Transactions processed through Data Only follow specific non-authenticated e-Commerce fraud dispute rules, helping merchants manage liability with confidence.

Ecosystem Adoption

A pivotal milestone in the adoption of Data Only is Visa’s April 2025 mandate which will require all issuers to accept Data Only transactions. This industry-wide requirement will help ensure broad compatibility and positions Data Only as a standard for modern payment processing.

Merchants who adopt Data Only now will help future-proof their operations and enhance transaction outcomes and reduce declines ahead of this critical change.

Future of Data Only

As payment ecosystems continue to evolve, solutions like PayPal Braintree Data Only are helping to shape the future of payment optimization. By expanding how the 3DS framework is used—focusing on data-sharing instead of just customer authentication—Data Only represents a major leap forward in payment innovation.

With the ability to help drive smarter decisions, improve approval rates, and maintain a seamless customer experience, Data-Only is more than a tool for today; it’s a foundation for the future of digital payments.

PayPal Braintree Data-Only empowers merchants to maximize revenue while minimizing effort, helping them stay ahead in the fast-changing world of payments. Whether you’re preparing for Visa’s 2025 mandate or simply looking to boost your bottom line, Data-Only is a smart, easy way to grow.