What Are DebiCheck Transaction Types TT1, TT2 and TT3?
DebiCheck supports three transaction types — TT1, TT2 and TT3 — which describe how and when the consumer authenticates the mandate with their bank. The mandate terms are the same in each case; what differs is the authentication channel and the time the consumer has to respond.
Choosing the right transaction type has a real impact on sign-up conversion. A consumer sitting in front of a sales agent can approve a TT1 request in seconds, while a consumer signing up online after hours may be better served by a TT2 request they can action later through their bank.
What is TT1 (real-time authentication)?
TT1 is an immediate, real-time authentication. The consumer's bank sends an authentication request straight to the consumer — typically a USSD prompt or a banking app push notification — and the consumer must respond within roughly 120 seconds.
TT1 works best when the consumer is present and expecting the request, for example during a telephonic or in-person sign-up. Because the response comes back in real time, the service provider knows immediately whether the mandate was authenticated, which suits API-driven sign-up flows — see API vs host-to-host.
What is TT2 (delayed or batch authentication)?
TT2 is a delayed authentication. The mandate request is lodged with the consumer's bank, and the consumer then authenticates it through one of their bank's channels — banking app, USSD, internet banking, cellphone banking, ATM or in branch — by the end of the next business day.
TT2 suits situations where the consumer cannot respond immediately: online sign-ups, batch onboarding of existing customers, or cases where a TT1 request timed out. The trade-off is that the outcome is not known immediately, so sign-up flows must handle a pending state.
What is TT3 (card-and-PIN authentication)?
TT3 authenticates the mandate using the consumer's bank card and PIN on a device, typically a card machine at the point of sale (or an ATM). The consumer confirms the mandate terms and enters their PIN, which serves as the authentication.
TT3 suits face-to-face environments such as retail stores and branch networks, where a card device is available and the consumer can approve on the spot without relying on their cellphone.
TT1 vs TT2 vs TT3 at a glance
| TT1 | TT2 | TT3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication method | Real-time USSD or app push from the bank | Consumer authenticates via their bank's channels | Card and PIN on a device |
| Time to respond | About 120 seconds | Until end of next business day | Immediate, at the device |
| Consumer must be present | Yes, with their phone | No | Yes, with their bank card |
| Result known | Immediately | Delayed | Immediately |
| Typical use case | Call centre and assisted digital sign-ups | Online sign-ups, batch onboarding | Retail and point-of-sale sign-ups |
Which transaction type should a business use?
- Use TT1 when the consumer is engaged in real time and has their phone with them — it gives the fastest confirmation and the cleanest sign-up flow.
- Use TT2 as the default for online or asynchronous journeys, and as a fallback when a TT1 request expires without a response.
- Use TT3 where you have physical card devices and want to authenticate at the point of sale.
Many businesses combine them: attempt TT1 first, then fall back to TT2 if the consumer does not respond in time. Kwik supports this pattern as part of its DebiCheck collections service.
Note that Registered Mandates (RM/RMS) are the related non-authenticated route, where the mandate is registered with the bank without consumer authentication — see what is a Registered Mandate.
Related topics
Mandates vs Collections
Understand the two halves of DebiCheck: the authenticated mandate that grants permission, and the collection instructions that debit the account.
Mandate Authentication
How payers approve DebiCheck mandates via banking apps, USSD, ATMs and card-and-PIN devices, and what happens when authentication is rejected or expires.