Nationwide has become the first UK financial institution to roll out Visa's V.me digital wallet for online shopping.
V.me lets registered users make secure online payments to participating merchants with just a username and password, removing the hassle of having to enter card account number, bill-to and ship-to information for every transaction.
Over 1400 online merchants already accept V.me by Visa, including Clark's, Curry's and PC World. Plans are in place to grow the number of merchants to more than 4000 later this year.
Nationwide says it will make the service available to its six and a half million credit and debit card customers. Customers can load up to ten different cards to the wallet at registration.
Graham Beale, Nationwide's chief executive, says: "In 1997, Nationwide were first to offer the UK consumer internet banking and we are always looking to invest in ways to improve the customer experience by pioneering new technology. In 2008 Nationwide took the decision to invest £1bn in the future of the organisation by implementing a large scale systems modernisation programme."
Nationwide has beaten V.me launch partner RBS - which first initiated trials of the technology in November 2012 - to the punch with its full-scale roll-out.
Banks representing 80% of all consumers are already committed to the programme, says Visa, while by 2020, the card scheme boasts that one-third of all European consumers will be using the wallet.