Visa Inc. announced it has initiated pilots with Mountain America Credit Union and Bank of Cyprus of a new EMV dual-interface (chip- and contactless-enabled) payment card, making these the first commercial pilots to test an on-card biometric for contactless payments. As a payments industry leader, Visa is committed to ensuring secure, fast and convenient payments at the point of sale. Core to delivering on this commitment is continually evolving the market towards dynamic authentication methods such as EMV chip, and in the case of these pilots, investing in emerging capabilities that leverage biometrics. When a cardholder places their finger on the sensor, a comparison is performed between the fingerprint and the previously enrolled fingerprint template securely stored in the card in order to authenticate the transaction. Green and red lights are integrated into the card to indicate a successful or unsuccessful match. Additional benefits of the biometric payment card include: Strong Security: The biometric data is stored and matched locally in the card to ensure that a cardholder’s data and privacy is protected. Since biometric data is unique to each person, it’s substantially harder for criminals to commit fraud. Speed and Convenience: The pilot cards are EMV contactless-enabled, allowing cardholders to tap to pay quickly and easily at contactless-enabled terminals. Alternative to PIN or Signature: A simple authentication using a fingerprint can be performed directly on the card, offering an alternative to PIN or signature. Hardware Upgrades Unnecessary: The biometric card is immediately compatible with existing payment terminals that accept contactless- or chip-based payments around the world.