Economy, finance and labor

Executive Order 13681: Improving the Security of Consumer Financial Transactions

President: Barack Obama

Directed federal agencies to strengthen payment-card security, identity verification and assistance for identity-theft victims.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13681 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13681 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13681 do?

EO 13681 directed federal agencies to introduce stronger payment-card and terminal security, including chip-and-PIN technology, and to plan improved identity checks for online services. It also directed agencies to consolidate identity-theft help at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC launched an initial version in May 2015 and expanded the service in January 2016. The order set federal implementation tasks and encouraged wider security adoption; it did not mandate a particular card technology for every private transaction.

Administration position: The order improved federal practices and encouraged private-sector action; it did not make every card transaction fraud-proof or create a universal national identity card.
SignedOctober 17, 2014
InitiativeBuySecure
Identity-theft siteInitial launch May 2015

Before and after

Before the order

Many federal cards and acceptance terminals still relied on magnetic-stripe technology and inconsistent identity controls.

After the order

Agencies accelerated chip-card adoption and strengthened identity-proofing and victim-support practices.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Treasury and GSAUpgrade federal cards and payment terminalsImplemented
AgenciesUse stronger identity proofing for online servicesContinuing under later standards
Federal benefit programsImprove identity-theft remediationImplemented and continuing

What happened next

EO 13681 set federal card, identity and victim-support tasks.