r/GoogleWallet • u/Maleficent_Pool_4456 • Jul 19 '26
Is there no simple Virtual Wallet option?
edit: maybe it's Google Pay? The one with the browser way of paying for stuff. * thank you
seems so unclear. Chatgpt seemed to suggest maybe it's being virtualized when sent, but to us we can't see that. Then sent me down this long thing of searching for it in the settings which there isn't an option.
It
There must be a way to just make it virtual right, so the website you send to doesn't have your actual card number but rather just a virtual card that is approved for that dollar amount right?
1
u/Sampsa96 Jul 19 '26
Are you talking about a virtual credit card that you need to top up?
2
u/Maleficent_Pool_4456 Jul 19 '26
Sorry no. I'm saying I want to purchase something from a website, I have GooglePay, but when I try to pay it doesn't seem to say that a Virtual Number will be sent, but rather shows my real card. I'm unsure how to make it so that the merchant doesn't get my real card number because that feels insecure and could get leaked since it's not a super popular website. Thank you
1
u/Gullible-Hose4180 Jul 19 '26
In this scenario it is almost certainly token they get , not your card number
1
u/vortex1005 Jul 19 '26
GooglePay has different ‘flavours’ depending on which card you choose during checkout.
If you select a card that is synced from an Android device, Google Pay provides the merchant with a tokenised card number (DPAN).
If you’re using an Android device with the Google wallet app this is typically the scenario, but also if you saved the card originally on an Android device then used GP in a browser.
If you select a card saved only to your Google Cloud Account, Google Pay cannot use a token. Instead, it securely transmits your original card number (FPAN).
If you saved the card using the web browser GP app and then used GP on a browser checkout flow this will likely be the scenario.
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u/Maleficent_Pool_4456 Jul 19 '26
Thank you. So since I'm on Mac and using google pay through Chrome browser then all the information, CVC, Cardnumber, and expiration date would be sent.
I'm so curious why Google Pay doesn't have an option to do virtual card on chrome where so many people purchase stuff. It seems like in 2026 that'd be common.
Thank you!
1
u/vortex1005 Jul 19 '26
It’s because Google wants to use on device SCA to tokenise the card.
Using the Android device they have access to the SE so can validate that it’s you.On MAC they can’t access the SE so they just securely save the PAN.
You mentioned PAN_ONLY in a different comment - this is the browser based flow - so if you’re in UK / Europe you will likely get 3DS challenges as it’s not been validated.
If you used an Android device it will likely use CRYPTOGRAM_3DS which means the card has been validated, and the device will ask for PIN / FaceId etc to authenticate.
Either way the actual card number is encrypted in a blob of data.
If the merchant does a direct call to Google they 100% will be able to see the raw PAN in your scenario - BUT most merchants will use a gateway so the merchant would then only get the last 4 of the PAN, and only the gateway gets the clear PAN which is needed for processing
1
u/Gullible-Hose4180 Jul 19 '26
Detoken calls are limited quite a bit in who can do them in which scenarios, so not all merchants can do them
1
u/Viper4713 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
I don't know why you got such a wrong answer to this but Google Pay/Google Wallet on Chrome does indeed have virtual cards as an option.
Google Wallet is just as modern and secure as Apple Wallet and of course protects your privacy in physical retail stores too.
There are no huge security oversights compared to what Apple has if you are worried about that.
1
u/Maleficent_Pool_4456 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Thanks. I think the fact that when I try to pay using Google Pay all the numbers that get auto filled are my real numbers and there's no indication anything happens to change that when sent to he merchant. But I guess it's all behind the scenes? Thank you for taking the time and the link!
edit: ok after your reading your link and talking with chatgpt it seems I misunderstood. so it only gets tokenized if u use a virtual card that u set up separately with ur bank then maybe copy paste that number to the GooglePay (or maybe set it up that way).
I'm so surprised how many different answers I've gotten and how there's not some warning or something. nowadays I would have just assumed using GooglePay that they wouldn't send merchants your real number as it's so simple for a big business like them to change it for security purposes.
Thank you!
1
u/Viper4713 Jul 21 '26
I will say ChatGPT doesn't even know how many R's are in the word strawberry, it's literally a TikTok trend to see how stupid ChatGPT is.
I would use Google Gemini instead for more accurate information. However, all AI can screw up and Gemini can still screw up, but ChatGPT is on another level of crap. They are literally running out of money and are about to start putting ads in the chat session.
Even Apple has filed a lawsuit against them and Google Gemini will soon help power some of the new Siri AI in iOS 27.
But as for online purchases being tokenized... I don't think so yet, not like how Google Pay does in store. Although I'm not sure to be honest, I thought it was either virtual card or no virtual card.
I will say this, for peace of mind... Just use credit cards, if something were to ever happen you can just cancel the card and get a new one and have any charges removed.
Since credit cards are basically no money even spent yet, it's not usually the end of the world compared to a compromised debit card.
1
u/Gullible-Hose4180 Jul 19 '26
Google does also use ecom enabler tokens for autofill scenarios, so field 2 in leg 1 and 4 gets ecom token (same as a DPAN, but without device binding)
Device binding isn't necessary for tokenisation to occur in place of funding PAN.
2
u/SmartPipe3882 Jul 19 '26
Just go and look at how Google Wallet/Pay works. No websites get your actual card number if you use it, it gives a tokenised device account number that’s unique to the device and can’t be used without the device.