STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has teamed with world-leading biometric company Fingerprint Cards AB (Fingerprints) to develop an advanced Biometric System-on-Card (BSoC) solution based on fingerprint-recognition technology, addressing the market demand to enhance contactless payment-card security and convenience.
The BSoC integration combines ST’s latest-generation secure-payment technology based on the ST31/STPay chipset and STM32 general-purpose microcontrollers with Fingerprints’ next-generation T-shape sensor module to provide a turnkey battery-less secure solution for the banking market.
“Cost-effective and user-friendly biometric authentication will significantly increase the security level and user convenience of banking transactions. It may let banks raise or remove the maximum allowable transaction value for contactless payments,” said Laurent Degauque, Marketing Director, Secure Microcontrollers, STMicroelectronics. “Fingerprint Cards brings valuable and market-proven expertise in solutions for battery-less and space-constrained devices. Their products combining powerful processing and low energy consumption are ideal companions to our STPay solutions for payment cards.”
The contactless payment card will be the first target under the agreement, with the intention to extend to other markets such as identification, health, access, and transportation cards.
Michel Roig, SVP for Payments and Access BL at Fingerprint Cards, added, “This is a powerful collaboration to create innovative and optimized solutions that not only make it easier for card makers to integrate biometrics in their portfolio, but also bring the total cost down. In the end, strengthening the security for contactless payments will offer consumers a worry-less payment experience.”
Running on ST’s flexible Java Card™ / Global Platform® Operating Systems (OS), ST’s STPay secure-payment products ensure support for multiple international and regional payment schemes, with proven security features built-in. STPay solutions benefit from EMVCo and CC EAL 6+ hardware certifications, software certifications up to OS and application level, and ST’s secure pre-personalization services that create an inherently trusted supply chain.
