Fingerprint Cards sensors and software to power Gemalto dual-interface biometric payment cards

With the race on to bring biometric payment cards to mass market, Fingerprint Cards has announced a partnership with Gemalto including what FPC calls the world’s first volume order of fingerprint sensors for dual-interface payment cards. Gemalto will offer EMV payment cards to bank customers powered by Fingerprint Cards’ T-Shape sensor and new biometric software platform.

“We evaluated a number of biometric systems for cards and Fingerprints came out with the most performing and promising solution,” comments Sylvie Gibert, SVP Payment Card Business Line at Gemalto. “The new software working in harmony with their power-efficient T-Shape sensor, gives us maximized performance which, combined with the optimized and secure design of our biometric card, provides a market leading solution for our customers. With Fingerprints, we are bringing stronger, faster and more seamless authentication to payment cards.”

The T-Shape module is optimized for smartcard integration through established manufacturing processes, according to the announcement, with the ultra-low power consumption necessary for contactless operation and superior biometric performance to ensure cardholder security and convenience. The initial order consists of a few hundred thousand units, which will be delivered in 2019 and 2020. As such, the order is not enough to significantly impact FPC’s total revenues, but the company says it strengthens its view that the global market for biometric payment cards is ready to take off.

“This is a turning point for biometric payment cards,” says Thomas Rex, SVP Business Line Smartcards at Fingerprints. “Working with Gemalto, the leader in EMV Payment cards & digital security, is a gratifying collaboration and the recognition that our technology can meet their strong requirements in terms of performance. We are looking forward to seeing the first biometric cards in consumers’ hands, adding much-needed strong authentication to contactless payments without impacting the user experience.”

Representatives from both Fingerprint Cards and Gemalto recently discussed the development of biometric payment cards’ technology, and the global market, with Biometric Update.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometrics  |  Fingerprint Cards  |  fingerprint sensors  |  Gemalto