EMV card with fingerprint biometrics -The Thales biometric payment card

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Attracting New Premium Customers

Biometric payment cards are gaining traction among discerning customers, enhancing dedicated card programmes aimed at high-end segments. 

Demonstrated by several deployments, a notable 25% of the demand for these cards originated from individuals who were either new to the bank's premium segment or entirely new to the bank.
 

Increasing Customer Spend Through Technology

Recent feedback indicates a remarkable trend: the frequency of contactless payments using biometric payment cards has doubled within mere months. 

Furthermore, there is a 50% increase in the average expenditure when utilising these cards in contactless transactions over time, underscoring their efficacy in fulfilling the promise of streamlined contactless payments.
 

Securing a Preferred Status

The biometric payment card enhances transaction security and ease of use and is on track to become the card of choice for many. 

In a survey conducted by Thales across the UK and France in 2020, an overwhelming 80% of users anticipate that the biometric payment card will become their preferred payment method.
 

Fingerprint biometrics on cards is on the rise

Embrace a new era of convenience with the Thales Biometric Payment Card. 

Since its commercial launch in 2021, users have enjoyed its ease of use and heightened security for everyday payments without touching terminals or entering PIN codes. 

But what makes this card not just a step but a leap into the future of payment transactions?

Discover the convenience of using the biometric payment card by watching our videos.

You can get more insights about biometric authentication applied to EMV cards.

Fingerprint payment is made simple.

With a fingerprint sensor right on the card body, paying with an EMV card just got easier than ever before:

• ​With a simple touch, no need to enter a PIN code on the Point-of-Sales  (POS) Terminal to perform a payment transaction, both in contact mode and in contactless mode
• No more limit on contactless payment transactions. The users are securely authenticated with their fingerprint and can enjoy the convenience of contactless for any amount.
• N​o upgrade is required on the POS, as the biometrics check is directly performed on the EMV biometric card and nowhere else​.

The biometric payment card elevates the checkout experience. With a simple touch, transactions are faster, eliminating the need to enter a PIN or sign receipts. It's more than a biometric credit card; it's a paradigm shift in the financial industry, establishing a new benchmark for convenience and payment efficiency.

The biometric data never leaves the card.

The fingerprint reference data captured by the biometric sensor is securely stored in the card's secure chip. It is not an image of the fingerprint but a matrix of 1s and 0s where the details of the fingerprint and the skin are reassembled and can never be used to rebuild a fingerprint image.

It is neither kept on the bank's servers nor sent over the air to a personalisation bureau. 

The technology also meets the ISO/IEC 17839-2:2015 standard for on-card biometric comparison.

The rigorous and privacy-friendly enrolment process described below is critical for the success of fingerprint payments.

It is very similar to popular self-enrolment processes available on leading smartphone brands.

Communication about this aspect is certainly key for customers to reassure their users fully.
 

The Thales  Gemalto biometric credit card combines a fingerprint sensor and EMV technology. The biometric data never leave the card.

The biometric payment card experience

Using the card is intuitive, ensuring a more than 95% success rate*, regardless of how the user presents the card to the terminal.

* = minimum requirement defined by international payment schemes (VISA, Mastercard)

The fingerprint biometric sensor is large and well-positioned on the card body for a seamless user experience.

It sounds simple, and it is.

The cardholder will perform biometrics verification with their enrolled finger by holding the card as always before.

A card insertion (contact mode) or tap (contactless mode) on the POS will be sufficient to complete the transaction. 

PIN code can be a fallback solution, like ATM cash withdrawals, when the cardholder's fingerprint can't be used.

The new fingerprint sensor is compatible with all other EMV card options, such as contactless, and with the ISO dimensions of the card.

There's more.

The card's user-friendly design guarantees a success rate exceeding 95%.

Deliver unmatched speed and security with one-touch payment

The biometric payment card transforms the checkout experience. 

With a simple touch, transactions are faster; there’s no need to enter a PIN. 

A study from Springer Link validates its biometrics payment efficiency, citing that biometric payments can be up to 120% faster than traditional methods.
 

Biometric card: enrolment is easy

A simple yet rigorous enrolment process is needed to register the user's fingerprint on the card.

The enrolment can be performed at home or at a branch.

• When performed at home, the cardholder's fingerprint reference data is securely installed in the card using a self-enrolment reader (made from recycled plastic) and shipped with the card (see picture on the right)
• The cardholder completes their enrolment in seconds by simply inserting the new biometric payment card in the reader and following the messages appearing on the reader display. 
• Activation is completed at the first transaction at the POS. 

The enrolment reader is used to guide the user with a personalised menu: the user can enroll, verify or delete his/her fingerprints.

Seamless integration, superior convenience 

Beyond speed and security, the Thales Biometric Payment Card integrates flawlessly with existing bank infrastructures and Point-of-Sale (POS) systems without requiring upgrades. 

Thales Gemalto EMV contactless biometric payment card has already been certified by major EMV payment schemes like Mastercard and Visa. The card is then set for a global rollout.

This seamless integration is also underscored by compliance with PSD2, offering strong customer authentication that aligns with the ease and security of fingerprint verification. 

Banks, merchants and consumers alike will appreciate the decreased costs and convenience this biometric credit card transaction brings.
 

Stylish design meets state-of-the-art biometric technology

Thales doesn't just innovate; it stylises. 

The suite of design options available for the biometric payment cards combines functionality with aesthetic elegance, elevating the card to a status symbol adorned with metallic inks or coloured edges.

Elevate your brand with eco-friendly, high-tech biometric cards

Looking forward, Thales is preparing to meet the demands of eco-conscious consumers with the introduction of rPVC (Recycled Polyvinyl Chloride) biometric payment cards in H1 2024, marrying eco-friendly principles with cutting-edge technology.

Customer References & Quotes

Thales has already developed more than 20 projects.

Innovators like Bank Pocztowy and BNP PARIBAS have already experienced the card's benefits, with customer feedback highlighting its convenience and security.

The Thales Biometric Payment Card isn't just a new product—it's a new approach to personal banking that promises to reshape the landscape of financial transactions with a blend of speed, security, and style. 
It's poised to become indispensable to financial transactions worldwide.

BANK POCZTOWY
 

BNP PARIBAS

After a trial of the Thales biometric payment card and its positive outcome, we have now confidently opened the offer to all our customers. This premium solution addresses several challenges: convenience, safety and contactless. A simple yet rigorous enrolment process has been set in the branch so the biometric data never leaves the card. This is a key pre-requisite as we take the privacy of our customers' data very seriously.  Jean-Marie Dragon, Head Of Payments and Cards, BNP Paribas.
[Read Thales Press Release]

More information on biometrics and payments

• Not familiar with EMV? Watch our video on EMV chip card basics.
• Learn more about biometrics with our new web dossier: What is biometrics?
• 7 benefits of biometric payment (Thales)
• Exploring biometrics within payments (Biometric Update Feb 2023)
• See below our white papers.

Related topics:

• Areeba introduces contactless biometric payment cards to the Middle East.
• Italy's first biometric contactless payment card pilot.
• UK consumers ready to use biometric payment cards (research paper)