Mastercard: Vi samarbetar med flera fingersensorbolag

Kortjätten Mastercard tillbakavisar fredagens uppgifter om att en konkurrent till svenska Fingerprint specifikt skulle ha valts ut som samarbetspartner.

I en intervju med Nyhetsbyrån Direkt säger Jane Khodos, talesperson inom säkerhet på Mastercard, att bolaget har "åtskilliga partners" inom området.

Därmed tillbakavisas fredagens uppgifter om att Mastercard skulle ha valt Fingerprint-konkurrenten Idex specifikt som partner, vilket vore negativt för Fingerprint.

Sensorbolagen hoppas att smarta betalkort ska bli nästa stora försäljningsområde, när marknaden för fingeravtryckssensorer i mobiler mattas av.

Mastercard Unveils Next Generation Biometric Card

JOHANNESBURG AND PURCHASE, N.Y. – April 20, 2017 – Mastercard today unveiled the next generation biometric card, combining chip technology with fingerprints to conveniently and safely verify the cardholder’s identity for in-store purchases.

South Africa is the first market to test the evolved technology, with two separate trials recently concluded with Pick n Pay, a leading supermarket retailer, and Absa Bank, a subsidiary of Barclays Africa.

Michelle van Schalkwyk, Head of Brand at Pick n Pay, pays for her shopping using her fingerprint to authenticate the transaction during the first global trial of the Mastercard biometric card in South Africa.

The new card builds on fingerprint scanning technology used for mobile payments today and can be used at EMV terminals worldwide.

“Consumers are increasingly experiencing the convenience and security of biometrics,” said Ajay Bhalla, president, enterprise risk and security, Mastercard. “Whether unlocking a smartphone or shopping online, the fingerprint is helping to deliver additional convenience and security. It’s not something that can be taken or replicated and will help our cardholders get on with their lives knowing their payments are protected.”

How It Works

A cardholder enrolls their card by simply registering with their financial institution. Upon registration, their fingerprint is converted into an encrypted digital template that is stored on the card. The card is now ready to be used at any EMV card terminal globally.

When shopping and paying in-store, the biometric card works like any other chip card. The cardholder simply dips the card into a retailer’s terminal while placing their finger on the embedded sensor. The fingerprint is verified against the template and – if the biometrics match – the cardholder is successfully authenticated and the transaction can then be approved with the card never leaving the consumer’s hand.

Benefits 

Authenticating a payment transaction biometrically – in this instance via a fingerprint – confirms in a very unique way that the person using the card is the genuine cardholder.

Merchants can easily maximize the shopping experience delivered to their customers, as the card works with existing EMV card terminal infrastructure and does not require any new hardware or software upgrades.

For issuers, the technology helps detect and prevent fraud, increase approval rates, reduce operational costs and foster customer loyalty. Additionally, a future version of the card will feature contactless technology, adding to the simplicity and convenience at checkout.

Trials Underway

The recent South African trials mobilized employees from Pick n Pay and Absa Bank to test the potential ways convenience and security could contribute to the checkout process. Over the next few months, additional trials will be conducted with the biometric card. A full roll out is expected later this year.

Said Richard van Rensburg, deputy CEO of Pick n Pay: “We are delighted that this innovation has been trialed for the first time at Pick n Pay stores in South Africa.  Biometric capability will mean added convenience and enhanced security for our customers. The technology creates a platform on which we can further our strategy of personalizing the shopping experience in a meaningful way.  We have been extremely impressed with the robust and secure nature of the technology.”

For Absa, the biometric card forms part of the bank’s strategy to test and develop sophisticated technology capabilities designed to improve its payment operations and client service, reduce risk, and make banking easier and even more secure for its customers.

“We are very proud to be the first bank in Africa to test – in a real payment environment – the single-touch authentication technology that will unlock the benefits of biometrics,” said Geoff Lee, head of card and payments at Absa Retail and Business Banking. “The technology will effectively enable our customers to rely on their unique fingerprints to make payments in a face-to-face environment. Following the test period, we will make it available to our customers in a way that is affordable, reliable, and convenient and, most importantly, extremely secure.”

Additional trials are being planned in Europe and Asia Pacific in the coming months.

About Mastercard 

Mastercard, www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter: @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Mastercard Engagement Bureau.

About Pick n Pay

Pick n Pay is a leading grocery retailer that operates a multi-format, multi-channel business across South Africa, as well as in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland and Lesotho.

In South Africa, the company has over 1,500 stores including Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and franchised Family Stores, which employ nearly 85,000 people. Well over 95% of the R50 billon of products purchased by Pick n Pay each year are sourced from South African producers and suppliers, sustaining a value chain which employs more than 400,000 people across the country.

The company’s success has been built on the principle of consumer sovereignty as a cornerstone of the Pick n Pay business.

About Absa Bank

Absa Bank Limited (Absa Bank) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Africa Group Limited, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest financial services groups. Absa offers a range of retail, business, corporate and investment banking and wealth management products and services primarily in South Africa and Namibia.

Barclays Africa is 50.1% owned by Barclays Bank PLC (Barclays). We operate in 12 countries with about 40 thousand permanent employees and we serve more than 12 million customers.

Mastercard biometric card | First Look

Mastercard Biometric

Samsung partners with MasterCard to bring Samsung Pay to Europe

Samsung has announced partnership with MasterCard to bring the Samsung Pay service to Europe. Samsung Pay is the feature that allows users with high-end Samsung devices, such as the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 edge to make contact-less payments using NFC and MST technologies.

According to Samsung, 'Samsung and MasterCard will together roll out Samsung Pay throughout Europe. Card issuers will be able to connect to the MDES (MasterCard Digital Enablement Service) platform and activate the Samsung Pay service upon launch. Cardholders from participating issuers can activate their credit, debit, reloadable prepaid and small business cards in the Samsung Pay service and use their mobile devices to make everyday purchases.'

The service was previously announced for South Korea and the US, and will be arriving in those regions later this summer. The service will then be available in Europe some time later.

Mastercard introduces payment card with fingerprint scanner

Having a fingerprint scanner on your phone is nothing new, but on credit cards it's a first. Today Mastercard introduced its first payment card with an integrated fingerprint scanner, going one step further in payment authorization. The company aims to abolish the inconvenience of typing a PIN while clumsily hiding from onlookers.

The card was introduced in South Africa after successful trials. Mastercard hopes to roll the tech globally in 2017. The only obstacle before you get such card is that your bank first has to implement the tech.

To receive the new credit or debit card you have to go to an “enrollment center” to get your fingers scanned. The memory of the sensor allows you to have two fingerprints but Mastercard points out that both of the fingers have to be yours - you can’t give the card to someone else. When the process is over and you have the card, you can shop effortlessly. There is no need for new equipment; you just need to remember to keep your finger on the card.

The sensor itself is positioned in the upper right corner. Early testers say the authorization process is quick - faster than entering your PIN and then waiting for approval from the bank.

Mastercard says the new cards issued will come along with a chip and pin (no magnetic stripe-only) due to security reasons.

Mastercard

The next generation #biometric card is here! What are you most looking forward to?

Fingerprint payments 

84%

Added layer of security

10%

Convenience at checkout

6%

133 röster · 6 dagar kvar

3:16 em · 20 apr. 2017

Mastercard MEA‏ @MastercardMEA

Mastercard fortsätter att samarbeta med flera bolag

STOCKHOLM (Direkt) Mastercard fortsätter att samarbeta med flera bolag verksamma inom fingeravtryckssensorer.



Det uppgav Jane Khodos, talesperson inom säkerhet på Mastercard, till Nyhetsbyrån Direkt på fredagskvällen, apropå mediauppgifter och läckta bilder som antydde att Mastercard skulle samarbeta med den norska Fingerprint Cards-konkurrenten Idex.

Vi samarbetar med åtskilliga partners inom fingeravtrycks-/biometri på kort-teknologi. Utvecklingen går bra men för närvarande har vi inget ytterligare som vi vill avisera. För närvarande fokuserar vi på onlineautentiseringsteknologi via Mastercard Identity Check, skriver Jane Khodos i ett mail.

Mastercard Identity Check är en teknologi med vilken man kan bekräfta näthandelsköp via sin mobiltelefons kamera eller fingeravtryckssensor, som Mastercard presenterade vid Mobile World Congress-mässan i Barcelona i februari.

I oktober 2014 lanserade Fingerprint Cards (FPC) norska samarbetsbolag Zwipe tillsammans med Mastercard ett samarbete kring ett plastkort med en FPC-sensor inbyggd i kortet.

Nyhetsbyrån Direkt har förutom information från Mastercard sökt Zwipe för information om hur detta samarbete har utvecklats sedan dess.

Mastercard

MasterCard och Samsung utökar samarbete kring Samsung Pay

MasterCard och Samsung kommer att utöka sitt globala samarbete kring
betaltjänsten Samsung Pay till Europa, enligt ett pressmeddelande.

Det betyder att europeiska kortutgivare kommer kunna ansluta till
MasterCards plattform MasterCard Digital Enablement Service, MDES, och
aktivera Samsung Pay vid lansering. För kortanvändarnas del betyder detta
att de kommer bland annat kunna aktivera sina krediter med hjälp av Samsung
Pay-tjänsten.

Samsung Pay, som är schemalagd för lansering i USA och Sydkorea senare
under sommaren, har sedan förra veckan börjat genomföra initiala tester på
hemmamarknaden i Sydkorea, enligt bloggen Samsung Tomorrow.

Det är endast användare av Galaxy S6 och Galaxy S6 Edge som kommer att ha
tillgång till tjänsten inledningsvis.


Reno Santic
Nyhetsbyrån Finwire

Mastercard inför autentisering med ansiktsskanning

DIGITALA LIVET 

Mastercards senaste drag för att förhindra kontokorts-bedrägerier väcker en hel del uppmärksamhet. Vid betalningstillfället ska nämligen kreditkortsinnehavaren ta en bild på sig själv med sin mobilkamera, i stället för att knappa in en pinkod. 

På så vis kan identiteten bekräftas och köpet genomföras. Ett pilotprogram inleds nu, där man erbjuder både ansiktsskanning och fingeravtrycksbaserad autentisering. Endast 500 kunder ingår i pilotprogrammet, men så fort alla eventuella barnsjukdomar åtgärdats är det tänkt att man ska rulla ut tekniken på bredare front.

MasterCard biometric systems coming to Europe in 2015

MasterCard is developing payment systems that use biometrics including facial recognition and fingerprints which will be launched in Europe later in the year.

Speaking at Risk to Reward 2015 in London, Ajay Bhalla, president of enterprise security solutions at MasterCard, said:“The future is moving towards biometrics… which we will be launching in Europe this year. The second thing is tokenisation for a number of cards.”

MasterCard has been working with Apple Pay to develop a tokenisation system for transactions. When a transaction is undertaken a token or randomly generated number is used instead of the actual credit card number.

“We believe that by taking all these steps we will make the system more secure,” Bhalla said. “If a card is compromised it is the token which is compromised not the number on the card.”

According to Bhalla, the best way to minimise risk is to understand the magnitude of the problem and make sure the right kind of people are managing cyber security.

“It is important to make employees aware of cyber security risks to combat the human factor,” he said.

Overall he believes electronic payments are safe. Two billion customers around the world use MasterCard’s products.

Mastercard to launch biometric payments in Europe

Mastercard plans to launch a biometric payments solution later this year, according to senior staff.  Ajay Bhalla, president of enterprise security solutions at MasterCard, confirmed the launch in London on Thursday. “The future is moving towards biometrics… which we will be launching in Europe this year. 

The second thing is tokenisation for a number of cards,” he said at Risk to Reward 2015 in London, reported Business Reporter. MasterCard has been working with Apple Pay to develop a tokenisation system for transactions, reports the magazine.  

“We believe that by taking all these steps we will make the system more secure,” Bhalla said. “If a card is compromised it is the token which is compromised not the number on the card.” Last November, MasterCard outlined plans for a new authentication standard designed to end the use of passwords in online payments, saying that the protocol could be released as early as next year. 

The firm says the new standard, which is being developed in cooperation with Visa, will move security infrastructure beyond the PC era, “supporting emerging technologies and changing consumer needs”. As reported by Planet Biometrics last October, MasterCard is working with Norwegian firm Zwipe on a credit card featuring a fingerprint scanner. 

The company is also working with Bionym and the Royal Bank of Canada on trials of the former’s Nymi wristband, which uses cardiac rhythms to authenticate users.  - See more at: http://www.planetbiometrics.com/article-details/i/2998/desc/mastercard-to-launch-biometric-payments-in-europe/?

Kina kan komma att öppna upp för Mastercard och VISA.

Den kinesiska staten indikerade under onsdagen att det kan komma att bli  
aktuellt att avsluta det befintliga monopolet på bankkortsklarering. En  
förändring som skulle möjliggöra ett intåg för bland andra Mastercard och  
VISA. 

Enligt nya regler som publicerades under onsdagen kommer det efter den  
första juni att vara möjligt för utländska företag att söka de tillstånd  
som i förlängningen möjliggör kortbetalningar. Det är sedan tidigare och  
fram till den första juni uteslutande China UnionPay som har den sortens  
tillstånd, skriver Bloomberg Business. 

Kina hade enligt centralbanken under 2014 4,9 miljarder bankkort med ett  
sammanlagt transaktionsvärde om 73 biljoner dollar. Något en analytiker vid  
FBR Capital Markets benämner som en mycket stor möjlighet, skulle de  
amerikanska kortföretagen få tillgång till den marknaden. 


Gustav Skogh 
Nyhetsbyrån FinWire 
gustav.skogh@finwire.se 
twitter:@finwire 

MasterCard and First Tech Developing Biometrics Program.

Later this year, members will be able to authenticate and verify transactions using biometrics under a pilot program involving $7.3 billion First Tech Federal Credit Union of Mountain View, Calif., and MasterCard.

“We are extremely pleased that MasterCard has chosen to partner with First Tech to pilot new payment methods. Biometrics may seem very James Bond-like, but the reality is fraudsters are very clever and resourceful,” said Terry Rodrick, vice president of cards and payments at First Tech.

“Our membership is technology based so I think we have the perfect population to really kick the tires and pressure test new ways of making purchases,” she said.

First Tech and MasterCard had already established a relationship that made MasterCard the payment solutions provider for its 380,000 members. As an element of that agreement, the credit union will issue new credit and debit cards with embedded EMV technology as a defense against fraud. It will then follow up with new features and functions, including a new rewards program, card personalization and tokenization programs.

Rodrick pointed out that new data breaches or account compromises make headlines every day so security is a top concern with membership.

“We take the mission of protecting their privacy and security very seriously, which is part of the reason we chose MasterCard as the new association for our card's program. (We’re) taking the migration to EMV one step further by implementing chip and PIN versus chip and signature,” she said.

With regard to the scale of the pilot, Rodrick explained that the credit union will reveal more as the project scope further develops. According to MasterCard, the process will use a combination of facial and voice recognition and fingerprint matching

“For sure we will include First Tech employees as potential Beta testers and then we will have to determine what might be the right number and types of scenarios to validate in the marketplace,” she said.

Rodrick explained that the credit union's members thrive in these types of scenarios, since its headquarters are located in the center of the Silicon Valley. So she expects no shortage of volunteers, she said.

The pilot was announced in conjunction with MasterCard's plans to invest more than $20 million in cybersecurity related technology enhancements for cardholders, merchants and issuing financial institutions. This includes the spring launch of MasterCard Safety Net, which is designed to reduce the risk of fraud before issuers and processors might notice the threat.

According to MasterCard, Safety Net provides an independent layer of security on top of the tools and policies of financial institutions, by monitoring and blocking specific transactions based on selected criteria.

MasterCard, First Tech FCU to pilot biometric identification program.

First Tech Federal Credit Union and MasterCard will introduced a pilot program later this year that enables First Tech FCU members to authorize their financial transactions via biometric identification, according to a report by Credit Union Times.

“We are extremely pleased that MasterCard has chosen to partner with First Tech to pilot new payment methods,” said Terry Rodrick, vice president of cards and payments at First Tech. “Biometrics may seem very James Bond- like but the reality is fraudsters are very clever and resourceful. Our membership is technology based so I think we have the perfect population to really kick the tires and pressure test new ways of making purchases.”

The companies have an existing relationship, as First Tech signed MasterCard on as its official payment solutions provider for the credit union’s 380,000 members.

As an extension of this agreement, First Tech will issue new credit and debit cards with embedded EMV technology as a safety measure against identity theft. 

The credit union will also introduce new features and functions in the future, which includes a new rewards program, card personalization and tokenization programs.

First Tech will announce more details about the project as the program progresses, said Rodrick.

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MasterCard said the biometric identification process will use a combination of facial and voice recognition and fingerprint matching.

The pilot will likely use First Tech employees as potential Beta testers, but First Tech will still need to figure out the “right number and types of scenarios to validate in the marketplace,” said Rodrick.

The companies announced the pilot program in conjunction with MasterCard plans to invest more than $20 million in cybersecurity-related technologies for cardholders, merchants and issuing financial institutions, including the upcoming spring launch of MasterCard Safety Net in the U.S. Safety Net.

Mastercard discusses its plan to bring biometrics into the mainstream.

In an interview with PYMNTS, Cheryl Guerin, MasterCard’s EVP and group head of global products & solutions, discussed how the credit card firm’s $20 million cybersecurity plan will further existing technologies as well as MasterCard’s plans to bring biometrics to the mainstream.

In the interview, Guerin discussed the recent U.S. rollout of MasterCard Safety Net, a new initiative the company announced a couple weeks ago that provides an independent layer of security on top of the tools and policies of financial institutions, in which it monitors and blocks specific transactions based on selected criteria.

Guerin also highlighted how Mastercard would help usher biometrics into the mainstream industry through various initiatives.

“Biometrics are significant in the future of payments,” said Guerin. “They can help combat lost or stolen card fraud as the combinations of voice and facial recognition with fingermarks prove the identity of the cardholder. To bring biometric authentication to the mainstream, MasterCard is participating in a number of pilot programs around the world, with more to come.”

One such program is Mastercard’s biometrics pilot with First Tech Federal Credit, which will use a combination of facial and voice recognition, along with fingerprint matching, to authenticate the identities of consumers.

In related news, MasterCard hosted the MasterCard Forum 2015 last week in Stockholm which addressed disruptive technologies and emerging payments in the European market. 

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The event featured a range of topics including trends in mobile and e-commerce, technology, and the future of commerce. 

Zwipe EVP of payment Susanne Hannestad took part in a panel discussion on partnerships. 

She also demonstrated the recently announced Zwipe MasterCard, which integrates biometric sensors and the Zwipe secure biometric authentication technology on the cardholder’s biometric data. 

Many Baltic and Nordic banks expressed interest in participating in pilots after watching the Zwipe MasterCard demonstration.

MasterCard sees strong European growth for contactless payments.

The fourth quarter of 2014 saw a steep increase in contactless card payments in Europe, including NFC-based purchases made via smartphone, according to MasterCard.

The credit card giant said the number of contactless transactions it handled grew by 174 per cent in Q4, compared to the same period in 2013.

However, it should be borne in mind that such payments are still growing from a relatively low base, so are likely to show impressive numbers at this stage.

MasterCard does not break out phone-based payments from those made via debit and credit card.

However, the firm is working on more than 70 live mobile NFC projects in 22 European countries. The factors that could inspire greater take-up include the launch of Apple Pay in one or more European countries and wider take-up of host card emulation (HCE).

“In 2014, MasterCard published its specifications that leverage Host Card Emulation for secure NFC contactless payment transactions. HCE provides another deployment option for issuers to launch NFC wallets,” said Javier Perez, president of MasterCard Europe.

HCE enables user data to be held in the cloud, rather than on the SIM card of a mobile device.

Did you know? So easy to pay #contactless at vending machines!

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MasterCard planerar att investera i nya säkerhetsrelaterade teknikförbättringar.

MasterCard planerar att investera över 20 miljoner dollar i nya
säkerhetsrelaterade teknikförbättringar. Bolaget ska bland annat lansera en
funktion som genom förebyggande åtgärder ska hindra bedrägerier och senare
under året lanseras ett pilotprogram som inkluderar biometri. Det framgår
av ett pressmeddelande.

- Även om framsteg har gjorts med skiftet till EMV och mobila betalningar
förstärker våra fortsatta investeringar de ansträngningar vi vidtar för att
skydda betalningssystemet för kortinnehavare, handlare och utgivare,
kommenterar Chris McWilton, ansvarig för den nordamerikanska marknaden hos
MasterCard.

MasterCard och Dynamics har den här veckan visat upp ett nytt innovativt
kreditkort i samband med CES-mässan i Las Vegas. Hidden MasterCard
introducerades i onsdags och inkluderar flera lager av säkerhetsfunktioner,
enligt ett pressmeddelande.

Först ut under våren blir en lansering av MasterCard Safety Net i USA, en
lösning som ska minska risken för bedrägeri eller cyberattacker genom att
övervaka och blockera vissa misstänkta transaktioner.

Senare under året kommer MasterCard och First Tech Federal Credit Union
rulla ut ett pilotprogram där konsumenterna ska godkänna transaktioner
genom en kombination av biometri, i form av ansikts- och röstigenkänning
och fingeravtrycksmatchning.

Exakt vilka tekniker som ska användas för de biometriska lösningarna
framgår inte.

MasterCard skapade för ett år sedan en division för att samarbeta med
innovatörer inom finansiella tjänster. Hittills har det mynnat ut i ett
antal investeringar och samarbeten. I oktober presenterades ett samarbete
med norska Zwipe och dess kort med inbyggd fingeravtryckssensor, levererad
av Fingerprint Cards.

I november investerade MasterCard dessutom i Nymi som tagit fram ett
armband som identifierar användaren via dess unika hjärtrytm.
Kreditkortsjätten har även investerar i Dynamics som tagit fram ett
kreditkort med inbyggd skärm där bland annat kortnummer kan döljas.


Stefan Linnér
stefan.linner@finwire.se, 0701-15 39 64
Nyhetsbyrån Finwire

Zwipe MasterCard troligtvis ute hos konsumenter först mot slutet av 2015.

MasterCard och norska Zwipe presenterade i fredags ett nytt innovativt betalkort som har potential att minska de omfattande kortbedrägerier som sker varje år. Kortet fungerar kontaktlöst med hjälp av NFC-teknik och användaren kan snabbt identifiera sig med hjälp av integrerad fingeravtrycksteknik, som levereras av Fingerprint Cards. Kortet ska lanseras på marknaden under 2015, men en bred utrullning inleds troligtvis inte förrän mot slutet av det året.

Det säger James Thorpe, kommunikationsansvarig för MasterCard i Storbritannien, i en kommentar till FinWire.

- Det finns fortfarande arbete att göra med fler piloter. Jag tror att det bästa är att hålla nere förväntningarna och det tidigaste kunderna skulle kunna få ett kort är fjärde kvartalet 2015, säger Thorpe.

Hittills har 50 pilotkunder i Norge och Polen testat kortet, men det kvarstår en del utvecklingsarbete för Zwipe. Andra generationen av kortet ska klara sig utan inbyggt batteri och kommer då vara lika tunt som ett befintligt kreditkort. Det kommer därmed passa i existerande betalterminaler och bankomater.

Något som kan skynda på en utrullning av Zwipes kort är att säkra betalningar har blivit en viktig fråga för många företag och konsumenter. Det understryks inte minst av att USA:s president Obama häromdagen gav en executive order som innebär att alla kreditkort som används av federala myndigheter framöver ska vara utrustade med chip. 

USA ligger efter till exempel Europa på området, men under 2015 ska alla betalterminaler bytas ut för att stödja chip och troligtvis kommer de flesta även ha NFC-funktionalitet. Extra dragkraft kan dessutom komma från Apples nya mobila betaltjänst Apple Pay då även den kräver NFC.

MasterCard och Zwipe vill inte gå in i detalj på vilka länder som blir först ut med det nya kortet. Enligt James Thorpe har inga beslut tagits och det beror i slutändan till stor del på de kortutgivande bankerna.

- Det kommer att bli en successiv utbyggnad med utvalda banker. Vissa är redan engagerade, samtidigt som det pågår en dialog med andra, säger Fredrik Gulowsen,
försäljningschef hos Zwipe, till FinWire.

De båda bolagen är dock tydliga med att kortet inte är någon nischprodukt utan är tänkt för en global marknad.

- När det är klart är vår strategi alltid att erbjuda kortinnovationer internationellt, men det är för tidigt att prata tidpunkter, bedömer MasterCards James Thorpe.

Hos Fingerprint Cards, som levererar touchsensortekniken, blev man överraskade av att kortet presenterades just nu. Fingerprint och Zwipe inledde samarbete kring ett biometriskt smartcard redan under 2013 och det norska bolaget har därefter fortsatt att utveckla sitt betalkort. Fingerprints tillförordnade vd Jörgen Lantto uppger till FinWire att det kommer öppna sig stora möjligheter men exakt när i tiden är mer osäkert.

- MasterCard rapporterade 2013 att de hade 730 miljoner kort ute. Så detta torde vara en stor affärsmöjlighet för branschen och inte minst för FPC som har en mycket strömsnål sensorteknologi vilken lämpar sig speciellt väl för dessa tillämpningar. Hur fort vi når volymer liknande smartphonemarknaden med hundratals miljoner sensorer om året återstår att se, kommenterar Lantto.

Zwipe har sagt att deras kortteknologi kan användas även för pass och id-kort. Det öppnar upp ytterligare möjligheter för de inblandade parterna, men det handlar då om mer specifika tillämpningar i respektive land.

- Här kommer man in i mer landsspecifika lösningar men det kan säkert bli en potentiell marknad också framöver, menar Lantto.

Värt att nämna i sammanhanget är att MasterCard redan har tagit steg in på marknaden för id-kort. James Thorpe uppger till exempel att bolaget har producerat 13 miljoner nationella id-kort inom Nigerias program, där inbäddade biometriska id-chip bidragit till att minska falska kortbedrägerier med 98 procent.

Med i framtagandet av kortet är även franska Oberthur Technologies, ett bolag som idag är en av de större aktörerna inom EMV-kort som är en standard framtagen av Europay, MasterCard och Visa. Oberthur är med som utvecklingspartner och levererar chip och Secure Elements till Zwipes nya kort.

Zwipe har förberett sig för att klara av stora volymer om och när det blir tal om en större utrullning. Vilka produktionspartners man knutit till sig är dock hemligt i dagsläget.

- Vi har stora internationella produktionspartners, men vi vill inte gå in på detaljer om detta nu, säger Fredrik Gulowsen.

Att undvika kreditkortsbedrägerier kan visa sig vara tillräckligt med incitament för bankerna att välja Zwipes nya säkrare kort, men priset kan trots allt komma att spela roll.

- Priset är självklart viktigt. Vi vill inte i detta skede gå ut med priser, men detta är inte en nischprodukt och våra priser är inom det som kommer att fungera genom hela värdekedjan i stora volymer, uppger Gulowsen.

Inte heller MasterCard vill avslöja vad prisbilden kommer att vara på det nya kortet när FinWire ställer en fråga kring det.

Zwipes vd och grundare, Kim Humborstadt, sade häromdagen i en intervju med norska Finansavisen att bolaget inte förbundit sig till någon typ av exklusivitet med MasterCard. Det öppnar därmed upp för liknande kortlösningar tillsammans med aktörer som Visa och American Express.

Hans kollega Gulowsen vill inte gå in på om de har fler samarbeten på gång redan nu. Han säger dock till FinWire att samarbete med andra kreditkortsbolag och företag inom betalbranschen kommer att offentliggöras när tiden är rätt för varje enskilt partnerskap.

Stefan Linnér
stefan.linner@finwire.se, 0701-15 39 64
Nyhetsbyrån Finwire