A portable 2-way secure financial messaging unit (906) includes a receiver (804), a selective call decoder (1004), a financial transaction processor (1014), a main processor (1006), and a transmitter (1034). A received secure financial transaction message is decoded by the selective call decoder (1004) and either passed directly to a financial transaction processor (1014) in the secure financial messaging unit or to a smart card to prevent unauthorized access to information contained in the secure financial transaction message. The portable 2-way secure financial messaging unit (906) may originate as well as receive financial transactions.