Idemia unveils device for biometric payment card enrollment on smartphone

A new device for biometric payment card enrollment on the user’s smartphone is launching from Idemia to make the process intuitive and simplify their adoption.

The device is a USB-C dongle powered by the user’s phone rather than a battery. The F.CODE biometric card is inserted into the dongle, which is connected to an iOS or Android smartphone, to complete fingerprint enrollment.

The issuing bank’s app guides cardholders through biometric enrollment with instructions displayed on the screen. The user’s biometric data is stored only on the card, and eliminates the need to enter a PIN.

The dongle and the bank app can also be used to erase or ren-enroll biometric data at any time.

The previous F.CODE fingerprint enrollment method involved a sleeve with a built-in battery and LED lights to help guide the user.

Global shipments of biometric payment cards are projected to hit 37 million by 2028, Idemia says. The technology’s adoption has been overestimated by market research firms in the past, with ABI forecasting 140 million cards with biometric sensors issued this year.

But consumers are ready to adopt biometric cards, according to Idemia.

A study conducted for Idemia by Dentsu Insights found 79 percent of global consumers say their perception of their bank improves if it offers a biometric card. Sixty-five percent site secure authentication as a reason to use a biometric payment card, 60 percent of those interested in having one say they would pay for it, and 63 percent say they would use it more frequently than a traditional card.

“We are proud to introduce this mobile-based solution to enhance biometric enrollment, empowering our customers to deliver a user-friendly experience for end users,” says Idemia Secure Transactions Biometric Card Product Manager Patrick Bauban. “This innovation highlights our sustained efforts to ensure a smooth and reliable enrollment journey for users of our biometric cards.”

The second-generation F.CODE card platform has been certified by both Mastercard and Visa since 2021.

Idemia ST was revealed as the supplier of biometric cards for logical access control and digital asset security from Serenity in November.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometric enrollment  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  F.CODE  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  IDEMIA