Idemia, Zwipe, Idex Biometrics announce milestone, sensor deal for fingerprint payment cards

The first samples of the biometric secure element developed through the exclusive partnership between Idemia and Zwipe have arrived and the first power-on successfully executed, and will now undergo further verification and qualification. Idex Biometrics has been chosen by Idemia to provide the biometric sensors that will be integrated with the new biometric payment cards, meanwhile, according to the same announcement.

Idemia and Zwipe entered an exclusive partnership and distribution agreement to develop a biometric payment card platform to reduce card costs last year.

”We are pleased to see this progress and we strongly believe that bringing forward the new platform together with IDEMIA will be a major catalyst in creating long term shareholder value and provide the technological leap needed to shape the future of the biometric payment card market and to drive commercial success for ZWIPE,” said André Løvestam, Zwipe CEO, in a prepared statement. “The progress up until now has further strengthened our conviction that this project will meet not only the time schedule, but also the targeted unit cost reductions on biometric payment cards.”

Holding exclusive global distribution rights, Zwipe will be the first to provide the platform for payment card, wearables and other payment solutions manufacturers, and their suppliers.

The F.code biometric card that will be sold to financial institutions is built on the newly released biometric chip which integrates a Secure Element, a Microcontroller, and more than thirty external components, all mounted on a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board).

“We are proud to have been selected by Idemia and look forward to continue collaboration with this leader in authentication solutions, and to initiate collaboration with Zwipe to bring biometric payment cards to the mass market,” said Vince Graziani, Idex Biometrics CEO, in the statement. “This award by one of the world’s largest card manufacturers is a validation of our off-chip product design that enables high performance at a disruptive cost point.”

Graziani discussed ramping up Idex Biometrics to full commercial mode with Biometric Update in a March interview.

The biometric payment card platform will be further developed and tested in the second half of 2020 to ensure it meets all demands. Commercial rollout and mass production are announced for 2021.

“This achievement of this key milestone demonstrates that our next F.code generation biometric card development is being executed according to plan allowing a pilot launch second half 2020,” said Amanda Gourbault, Idemia EVP of Financial Institutions. “Together with our business partners we are showcasing our best-in-class expertise in designing and manufacturing biometric-based payment cards.”

Idemia also partnered with Idex Biometrics to use its IP for on-card enrollment in 2019, shortly after it struck the deal with Zwipe.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  F.CODE  |  fingerprint sensors  |  IDEMIA  |  Idex Biometrics  |  partnerships  |  research and development  |  secure element  |  Zwipe