Mastercard launches luxury biometric metal credit card in Bangladesh

Mastercard and Eastern Bank have teamed up to introduce Bangladesh’s first biometric metal credit card.

The biometric credit card is part of the high-end World Elite Mastercard portfolio and embeds a fingerprint sensor into its metal body, allowing cardholders to authenticate in-store purchases with a touch.

The biometric solution is co-powered by Idex Biometrics, Kona I, and Infineon Technologies and removes the need for PINs or signatures and keeps sensitive data secured on the card itself. It caps an announcement from Idex Biometrics in December 2023.

“This Idex Biometrics solution will provide a first-class payment experience and a new payment standard, powering secure contactless transactions in the country,” said Ali Reza Iftekhar, managing director and CEO, Eastern Bank.

Eastern Bank will provide customers with a home-registration kit, enabling quick setup and enrollment of fingerprints without having to visit a branch. Once enrolled, only the cardholder’s unique biometric pattern can activate a transaction. In addition, Mastercard Identity Theft Protection promises to continuously scan the web for breaches tied to cardholder data, offering proactive alerts and recovery assistance.

Tolgahan Yildiz, Head of Trusted Mobile Connectivity and Transactions Product Line, Infineon Technologies, commented: “With our ongoing commitment to the smart card market and investment in innovation, we’re proud to enable the launch of this biometric metal card solution.”

Beyond its advanced security features, the World Elite card offers customers lifestyle benefits through Mastercard’s Priceless Specials platform. This includes a complimentary one-night stay at luxury hotels, access to more than 46 premium golf clubs, access to 1,300 airport lounges, and an around-the-clock concierge service. The card is offered by invitation only, according to Eastern Bank’s website.

“By embedding fingerprint authentication into a sleek metal card, Mastercard has set a new benchmark for premium cardholders who demand both sophistication and safety,” said Syed Mohammad Kamal, Country Manager, Bangladesh, Mastercard.

Ide3x also revealed last year that it is supplying fingerprint biometric technology for payment cards to Bangladesh-based Mutual Trust Bank.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometric payments  |  financial services  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  Idex Biometrics  |  Infineon  |  Kona I  |  Mastercard