Fingerprint authentication has a shorter transaction time than PIN authentication
Biometric payment cards, 4.5 million units in 2019
It will increase to 120 million units by 2023.
Infineon Technologies announced on the 10th that it will collaborate with IDEX Biometrics, a company providing advanced fingerprint recognition and authentication solutions, to expand biometric card technology.

The two companies will develop a system-on-card demo running on Infineon’s dual-interface 16-bit security controller, with the goal of integrating IDEX’s biometric technology into Infineon’s secure chip-based platforms.

Biometric cards are expected to reduce card fraud by introducing simple two-factor authentication. They can be used for payments as well as applications that combine social services and payments. Fingerprint authentication significantly improves the user experience as it has a shorter transaction time than PIN authentication and requires only a simple touch.

The technical challenge of contactless biometric smart cards lies in their sensitive power consumption characteristics.

Infineon's security chips offer advantages in implementing biometrics with power consumption characteristics optimized for contactless systems that support battery-less operation. It supports contactless payment transactions of less than 300ms, allowing biometric payments to be completed in less than a second.

“Biometrics are the next evolution of contactless payment cards, bringing additional security and convenience to banks and consumers,” said Bon Scharfen, head of Infineon’s Payment & Wearables product line.

Biometric data is stored securely in a security controller embedded in the card and is never uploaded to the cloud, so it literally stays in the user's hands.

Infineon and IDEX are also leading the way in building interoperability, which is key to ensuring widespread implementation of biometric solutions. They are reviewing and documenting the most efficient way to integrate IDEX’s host API into biometric systems with Infineon’s secure chips to enable rapid adoption of dual-interface biometric cards.

IDEX works with industry leaders to develop an open, operational ecosystem for smart card solutions that enable payment, corporate identity, and access applications.

“We are delighted to be working closely with Infineon to enable integrated fingerprint recognition on smart cards to lead to a seamless user experience,” said Stan Swearingen, CEO of IDEX Biometrics.

Biometric technologies are already widely used in mobile communications and are expected to increasingly spread to smart card applications such as payment, authentication, and access solutions. According to market research firm ABI, the market for payment cards with biometric features is expected to grow from 4.5 million units in 2019 to 120 million units in 2023.