Q&A with IFSF: More standards, fewer payment headaches

IFSF leaders Ian Brown and Mirko Spagnolatti speak to MobilityPlaza about the biggest payments challenges in the mobility industry, and how standards can help solve them.

The payments landscape in mobility is evolving rapidly, driven by the rise of digital methods, API-based technologies, and the increasing importance of EV charging. To better understand how the International Forecourt Standards Forum (IFSF) is responding to these shifts, MobilityPlaza spoke with Ian Brown, IFSF EFT and Payments Chair, and Mirko Spagnolatti, IFSF Director and Fortech S.r.l. Business Development Director. In this conversation, they share their views on the adoption of new standards, the pace of industry change, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for retailers, suppliers, and consumers alike.

MobilityPlaza. IFSF has been providing payment standards for over 20 years. Can you give us a brief overview of the journey so far?

Ian Brown. The first two standards we developed, the POS to FEP Interface Standard and the Host-to-Host Interface Standard, were designed to support all card-based payments at a petrol station and to allow merchants and vendors to integrate equipment from multiple vendors with minimal effort. These standards were based on ISO8583, which we extended to support the extra data required for fuel cards and outdoor payments.

We then developed a set of security guidelines, again based on established industry standards, to ensure members could handle payments in a secure and interoperable manner. Today, these standards are widely used across Europe, Asia, and South America, proving to be effective tools to reduce both implementation and operational costs.

MP. Why are standards so important for the mobility industry?

Mirko Spagnolatti. Adoption brings quicker time to market, scalability to multiple markets and brands, and ongoing support for evolving requirements. Retailers and suppliers particularly benefit from minimized switch costs and reduced vendor lock-in, which helps optimize the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

MP. Security is always a top priority. What is IFSF doing in this area?

IB. We’ve made a comprehensive update to our security standards. This includes adding AES, aligning with the latest versions of referenced industry standards, strengthening guidance on secure methods for new implementations, and deprecating those no longer secure enough. We’ve also provided guidance on securing messages over the public internet.

Additionally, we’ve introduced a Two Factor Authentication API, which offers a simple method for merchants and issuers to request authentication before a purchase is authorised. It is based on a simplified version of EMVCo’s 3D secure method.

MS. Security is not only about protection—it’s also about compliance. Requirements are constantly evolving to address new fraud and attacks. For the petrol and energy industry, however, continuous upgrades risk creating forecourt obsolescence. That’s why modular, interoperable systems are crucial, enabling selective upgrades. IFSF plays a central role by defining modularity and interoperability requirements.

MP. The rise of e-mobility presents both opportunities and challenges for service stations. What needs to be done to improve that integration process?

IB. We drafted an EV white paper outlining how IFSF payment standards can be used alongside OCPI and OCPP standards to support EV charging payments. This approach enables merchants to accept EV charging payments through their existing infrastructure with minimal technical changes. We also added support for incremental authorisations in our POS–FEP and Host–Host standards to meet scheme card requirements for EV charging.