Visa Data Tokens
AI-powered shopping experiences based on things you actually buy
COMPANY
VISA
I led product vision and definition for Visa Data Tokens, and design for the Visa Consent Manager Service, working closely with the Head of Consumer Products and the Head of Strategic Digital Partnerships & Fintech. We designed it first for AI assistants. Visa launched it for issuers and merchants, and the consent model and personalization carried through as designed. At the time, Visa positioned Data Tokens and Consent Manager as the personalization layer of Visa Intelligent Commerce.
TEAM
ROLE
MARK NELSEN - GLOBAL HEAD OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS
MATT DILL - CONSULTANT TO MARK NELSEN (FORMER GLOBAL HEAD OF DIGITAL PARTNERSHIPS & FINTECH)
MICHAEL AKPAN - SR. DIRECTOR, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
AARYN WATSON - DIRECTOR, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
WILL TIKI - PRODUCT DESIGN LEAD
ERIC CHEN - SR. DESIGNER
PRODUCT DESIGN LEAD
THE PROBLEM
Personalization on AI platforms and merchant sites often runs on incomplete or indirect signals: clicks, likes, searches and conversations that reflect what people might want, not what they actually do. The result is mismatched recommendations and poor timing, which wear down confidence and engagement over time.
THE INSIGHT
What you buy says a lot about who you are: it reflects what someone is willing to spend time, money and energy on. It’s one of the clearest signals of intent there is, and for the same reason one of the most personal. That made trust the real constraint, and consent the opportunity: people should actively opt in, understand what’s shared and for how long, and be able to take it back at any time, as easily as they said yes.
THE SOLUTIONS
With consumer consent, turns purchase behavior into personalization without handing over transaction history. With consent, a person’s card is linked to a data token, and the platform receives signals tied to it: deterministic ones drawn from real purchases, and AI-based ones that predict what someone is likely to want next. Revoke consent, and the signals stop.
Easy access to your data
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Easy access to your data *
Access your card data in a few taps
Suggestion you’d pay for
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Suggestion you’d pay for *
Once a card is connected, the platform can personalize from the very first conversation. That matters most for new customers, where a platform has nothing to go on yet. Signals give it a starting point on day one, and they work alongside the personalization the platform already runs instead of replacing it.
Connecting a payment credential not only gives you access to your card data, but it also powers instant commerce, increasing conversion and stickiness for platforms and merchants alike
You're in control
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You're in control *
Revoking consent to card data is as easy as giving it. You’re in control
