MasterCard credit cards to come with a Fingerprint scanner

MasterCard’s Credit Cards to come with Fingerprint Scanner

With the number incidents regarding credit card number thefts increasing as the days go by, MasterCard one of the premier Credit Card issuer is all set to make thing that little bit difficult for cyber criminals stealing your credit card numbers.  MasterCard is all set to introduce a credit card that comes with a fingerprint scanner to make paying for items at stores more secure.

MasterCard

MasterCard which has remained a top card issuer all over the world for some time now is not new to the contactless payment Cards.  It had issued a credit card which allowed users to tap a card at checkout (and bypass the PIN code process) but that never took off commercially.  The latest innovation of the Fingerprint scanner based credit card will undoubtedly depend on the commercial success in gets in United Kingdom.  MasterCard is now teaming up with biometric tech company Zwipe to prevent people from paying for items this way with stolen credit cards. The fingerprint scanner option will not only deter the cyber criminals from stealing payment cards details in future but it will make imperative for the credit card user to be present at the point of sale to it’s actually you that is using the card.

Test launch in United Kingdom

The fingerprint scanner included  Zwipe MasterCard will be offered only in the UK for now for beta testing and commercial test purpose. The Zwipe MasterCard will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner that stores the users thumbprint. You can make a payment only if you put your thumb on the scanner and the embedded chip unlocks. Once the embedded chip unlocks you’ll be able to tap the card to make purchases.

Both MasterCard and Zwipe claim that this will be the first card to combine contactless payment with biometric authentication. Given the recent data thefts involving payment cards and this latest development makes a lot of sense for all concerned. This may be the way out for many credit card companies who are always trying to find ways to simplify the payment process and make it safer for users along the way.

It is not known whether the Zwipe MasterCard will be launched in the U.S. anytime soon.  Depending on the success and the usr adaptation in gets in United Kingdom will perhaps be the only way to know whether MasterCards latest offering to wipe out the effect of payment card number thefts on both the user and the companies will only known in post this outcome.

Video demonstrating the Zwipe MasterCard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqbKhI1QWU4