A system for providing an application associated with a portable communication device the ability to communicate via a secure element. The system has a digital identifier and digital token operably associated with the application; a card services module that provides an application programming interface to the secure element; and a secure data table associated with the card services module. The secure data table includes a list of trusted applications each identifiable by paired digital identifier and token. The card services module [includes] compares the identifier and the token with each of the identifier-token pairs in the table until a match indicates the application is trusted. The card services module issues commands to the secure element based on an action requested by a trusted application in conjunction with the presentation of the digital token. A method of providing an application with the ability to communicate via secure element is also disclosed.