diff --git a/packages/passkey-controller/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/passkey-controller/CHANGELOG.md
index cbf1c3c755..bb68b38f9d 100644
--- a/packages/passkey-controller/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/passkey-controller/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+
+- `PasskeyController` verifies registration and authentication responses with `requireUserVerification: true`, so the WebAuthn user verification (UV) flag must be set; assertions with user presence only no longer pass verification ([#8696](https://github.com/MetaMask/core/pull/8696))
+
+### Fixed
+
+- `generateAuthenticationOptions` now sets `userVerification: 'required'` so client WebAuthn requests align with server-side verification requirements and do not fail on authenticators that skip UV when set to `'preferred'` ([#8696](https://github.com/MetaMask/core/pull/8696))
+
 ## [2.0.0]
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.test.ts b/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.test.ts
index de37013629..75d6698b5a 100644
--- a/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.test.ts
+++ b/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.test.ts
@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ describe('PasskeyController', () => {
       ]);
       expect(options.attestation).toBe('none');
       expect(options.timeout).toBe(WEBAUTHN_TIMEOUT_MS);
+      expect(options.authenticatorSelection).toStrictEqual({
+        userVerification: 'required',
+        authenticatorAttachment: 'platform',
+        residentKey: 'preferred',
+      });
       expect(
         (options.extensions as Record<string, unknown>)?.prf,
       ).toBeDefined();
@@ -405,6 +410,21 @@ describe('PasskeyController', () => {
         }),
       ).toThrow(PasskeyControllerErrorMessage.NoRegistrationCeremony);
     });
+
+    it('returns options with userVerification required', () => {
+      const controller = createController();
+      const regOpts = controller.generateRegistrationOptions();
+      const authOpts = controller.generatePostRegistrationAuthenticationOptions(
+        {
+          registrationResponse: minimalRegistrationResponse(
+            undefined,
+            regOpts.challenge,
+          ),
+        },
+      );
+
+      expect(authOpts.userVerification).toBe('required');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('generateAuthenticationOptions', () => {
@@ -447,6 +467,26 @@ describe('PasskeyController', () => {
         (authOpts.extensions as Record<string, unknown>)?.prf,
       ).toBeDefined();
     });
+
+    it('returns options with userVerification required', async () => {
+      setupRegistrationMocks();
+      setupAuthenticationMocks();
+      const controller = createController();
+      const regOpts = controller.generateRegistrationOptions();
+
+      await enrollWithPostRegistrationAuth(controller, {
+        registrationResponse: minimalRegistrationResponse(
+          undefined,
+          regOpts.challenge,
+        ),
+        vaultKey: 'vault-key',
+        userHandle: regOpts.user.id,
+      });
+
+      const authOpts = controller.generateAuthenticationOptions();
+
+      expect(authOpts.userVerification).toBe('required');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('protectVaultKeyWithPasskey', () => {
@@ -1673,7 +1713,7 @@ describe('PasskeyController', () => {
         expect.objectContaining({
           expectedOrigin: 'chrome-extension://abc123',
           expectedRPIDs: ['custom-rp.com'],
-          requireUserVerification: false,
+          requireUserVerification: true,
         }),
       );
     });
@@ -1723,7 +1763,7 @@ describe('PasskeyController', () => {
             id: TEST_CREDENTIAL_ID,
             counter: 0,
           }),
-          requireUserVerification: false,
+          requireUserVerification: true,
         }),
       );
     });
diff --git a/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.ts b/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.ts
index f8f0298e50..7b5bc2b8b1 100644
--- a/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.ts
+++ b/packages/passkey-controller/src/PasskeyController.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export class PasskeyController extends BaseController<
       ],
       timeout: WEBAUTHN_TIMEOUT_MS,
       authenticatorSelection: {
-        userVerification: 'preferred',
+        userVerification: 'required',
         authenticatorAttachment: 'platform',
         residentKey: 'preferred',
       },
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ export class PasskeyController extends BaseController<
             | undefined,
         },
       ],
-      userVerification: 'preferred',
+      userVerification: 'required',
       hints: ['client-device', 'hybrid'],
       timeout: WEBAUTHN_TIMEOUT_MS,
       extensions,
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ export class PasskeyController extends BaseController<
           transports: record.credential.transports,
         },
       ],
-      userVerification: 'preferred',
+      userVerification: 'required',
       hints: ['client-device', 'hybrid'],
       timeout: WEBAUTHN_TIMEOUT_MS,
       extensions,
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ export class PasskeyController extends BaseController<
         expectedChallenge: registrationCeremony.challenge,
         expectedOrigin: this.#expectedOrigin,
         expectedRPIDs: this.#expectedRPIDs,
-        requireUserVerification: false,
+        requireUserVerification: true,
       }).catch((error) => {
         log('Error verifying passkey registration response', error);
         throw new PasskeyControllerError(
@@ -724,8 +724,7 @@ export class PasskeyController extends BaseController<
           counter: credential.counter,
           transports: credential.transports,
         },
-        // UV optional for device compatibility; vault key remains password-gated.
-        requireUserVerification: false,
+        requireUserVerification: true,
       }).catch((error) => {
         log(
           'Error verifying passkey authentication response',