A method, user device, and computer-readable storage media for registering and activating accounts is provided. One method includes transmitting a first input from a user regarding opening an account at an institution, establishing a communication session based on exchanging encryption keys between the user device and the computing system, in response to establishing the communication session, automatically installing a client application, displaying, via the client application, a graphical user interface (GUI) including a request for a user verification, transmitting, via the communication session, a received user verification, receiving a second input to add the account a mobile wallet on the user device, prompting the user for a value regarding the account, and receiving and storing, via the communication session, a payment token for transactions via the mobile wallet before a physical card associated with the account of the computing system is received.