Step-up authentication

Require users to re-verify their identity before sensitive actions using elevated access tokens in the React Native SDK.

The React Native SDK provides step-up authentication through the client.stepUpAuth module. You can check requirements, prompt built-in UI flows, or call individual verification methods for a fully custom experience.

After verification, the elevated access token is automatically stored and applied to subsequent API calls. You never need to manually handle the token.

For concepts, scopes, and token lifecycle, see Step-up authentication overview.

Prerequisites

• Dynamic React Native SDK initialized with your environment ID
• At least one verification method enabled in your dashboard security settings
• Step-up authentication enabled for your environment

Quick start

The pattern is: check → verify → proceed.

import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';

const exportPrivateKey = async () => {
  // 1. Check if step-up is required
  const isRequired = await client.stepUpAuth.isStepUpRequired({
    scope: TokenScope.Walletexport,
  });

  if (isRequired) {
    // 2. Prompt the user — auto-routes to MFA or re-auth
    await client.stepUpAuth.promptStepUpAuth({
      requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
    });
  }

  // 3. Proceed — token is attached automatically
  await performExport();
};

Checking step-up requirements

Use isStepUpRequired to check whether the user needs to re-verify for a given scope:

import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';

const isRequired = await client.stepUpAuth.isStepUpRequired({
  scope: TokenScope.Walletexport,
});

if (isRequired) {
  // Trigger verification
}

Prompt methods (built-in UI)

These methods show Dynamic’s built-in UI for step-up authentication. The SDK handles method selection and user interaction.

promptStepUpAuth

Automatically chooses between MFA and re-authentication based on the user’s configuration. This is the recommended approach.

import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';

const token = await client.stepUpAuth.promptStepUpAuth({
  requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
});

promptMfa

Explicitly prompts the user with MFA methods (passkey or TOTP). Use this when you know the user has MFA configured.

import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';

const token = await client.stepUpAuth.promptMfa({
  requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
});

promptReauthenticate

Explicitly prompts the user to re-authenticate using a non-MFA method (email OTP, SMS OTP, or external wallet signature).

import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';

const token = await client.stepUpAuth.promptReauthenticate({
  requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
});

Full example

Here’s a complete example screen that checks step-up requirements and prompts the user:

import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { Alert, Button, ScrollView, Text, View } from 'react-native';
import { TokenScope } from '@dynamic-labs/sdk-api-core';
import { useDynamicClient } from '../store/client';

export default function StepUpAuthScreen() {
  const client = useDynamicClient();
  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
  const [result, setResult] = useState<string | null>(null);

  const handleCheckRequired = async () => {
    try {
      const required = await client.stepUpAuth.isStepUpRequired({
        scope: TokenScope.Walletexport,
      });
      Alert.alert(
        'Result',
        required
          ? 'Step-up authentication IS required'
          : 'Step-up authentication is NOT required',
      );
    } catch (error) {
      Alert.alert('Error', `Failed to check: ${error}`);
    }
  };

  const handleExportWallet = async () => {
    setIsLoading(true);
    setResult(null);
    try {
      const required = await client.stepUpAuth.isStepUpRequired({
        scope: TokenScope.Walletexport,
      });

      if (required) {
        await client.stepUpAuth.promptStepUpAuth({
          requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
        });
      }

      // Token is now stored — proceed with export
      // await performExport();
      setResult('Export completed');
    } catch (error) {
      Alert.alert('Error', `Step-up auth failed: ${error}`);
    } finally {
      setIsLoading(false);
    }
  };

  const handlePromptMfa = async () => {
    setIsLoading(true);
    try {
      const token = await client.stepUpAuth.promptMfa({
        requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
      });
      setResult(token ?? 'Completed (no token returned)');
    } catch (error) {
      Alert.alert('Error', `MFA prompt failed: ${error}`);
    } finally {
      setIsLoading(false);
    }
  };

  const handlePromptReauth = async () => {
    setIsLoading(true);
    try {
      const token = await client.stepUpAuth.promptReauthenticate({
        requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
      });
      setResult(token ?? 'Completed (no token returned)');
    } catch (error) {
      Alert.alert('Error', `Reauthentication failed: ${error}`);
    } finally {
      setIsLoading(false);
    }
  };

  return (
    <ScrollView>
      <View>
        <Button
          title="Is Step-Up Required?"
          onPress={handleCheckRequired}
        />
        <Button
          title={isLoading ? 'Authenticating...' : 'Export Wallet'}
          onPress={handleExportWallet}
          disabled={isLoading}
        />
        <Button
          title="Prompt MFA"
          onPress={handlePromptMfa}
          disabled={isLoading}
        />
        <Button
          title="Prompt Reauthenticate"
          onPress={handlePromptReauth}
          disabled={isLoading}
        />
        {result && <Text>{result}</Text>}
      </View>
    </ScrollView>
  );
}

Error handling

Wrap verification calls in try-catch blocks to handle user cancellations and verification failures:

try {
  await client.stepUpAuth.promptStepUpAuth({
    requestedScopes: [TokenScope.Walletexport],
  });
} catch (error) {
  // User cancelled or verification failed
  console.error('Step-up auth failed:', error);
}

API reference

client.stepUpAuth

Method	Description
isStepUpRequired({ scope })	Check if step-up is required for a scope
promptStepUpAuth({ requestedScopes })	Auto-route to MFA or re-auth UI
promptMfa({ requestedScopes })	Show MFA verification UI
promptReauthenticate({ requestedScopes })	Show re-authentication UI
resetState()	Reset step-up auth state

Parameters

All prompt methods accept an optional object with:

Parameter	Type	Description
requestedScopes	TokenScope[]	Scopes to request for the elevated access token
createMfaToken	boolean	Deprecated. Use requestedScopes instead. See migration guide.

Available scopes

See the complete scopes reference for all supported values.

Related

• Step-up authentication overview — Concepts, scopes, token lifecycle
• MFA overview — React Native MFA guide
• Action-based MFA — Action-based MFA in React Native