Fime Lab Can Now Test Against New EMVCo Biometric Card Specification

Why It Matters

The recognition accelerates global rollout of fingerprint‑enabled payment cards, giving issuers a trusted compliance pathway and boosting industry confidence in biometric security.

Key Takeaways

• Fime lab now EMVCo‑approved for fingerprint sensor testing
• FPC’s full biometric system first to meet EMVCo standards
• EMVCo spec emphasizes low FAR, FRR, liveness detection
• Upcoming FPC‑Precise merger boosts combined biometric capabilities
• Certified testing speeds global rollout of biometric payment cards

Pulse Analysis

Biometric authentication is emerging as the next frontier in card‑based payments, promising to replace PIN entry with a fingerprint read directly on the card. EMVCo, the global authority that defines payment‑card standards, recently published its Biometric on Card specification, which sets strict thresholds for false acceptance rate, false rejection rate, liveness detection and transaction latency. By codifying these metrics, the specification aims to ensure that fingerprint‑enabled cards deliver both security and a seamless checkout experience, addressing merchant concerns about fraud while maintaining consumer convenience.

Against this backdrop, Fime’s newly accredited laboratory in the EMEA region becomes the first EMVCo‑recognized test center for fingerprint sensors. The lab can now evaluate sensor reliability, liveness algorithms and user‑experience factors against the official spec, giving manufacturers a clear path to certification. Fingerprint Cards AB (FPC) leveraged this capability to have its complete biometric system—sensor, hardware and algorithm—validated as the world’s first to satisfy the new requirements. Independent verification removes a major barrier to market entry, allowing card issuers to launch compliant products faster.

The timing aligns with FPC’s pending merger with Precise Biometrics, a move that will combine two of Europe’s leading fingerprint technology providers. The combined entity is positioned to dominate the emerging market for smart‑card, wearable and multi‑function payment solutions, offering a broader portfolio of verified biometric components. As banks and fintechs seek to differentiate their offerings, the availability of an EMVCo‑certified testing pathway reduces development risk and accelerates rollout of secure, frictionless payment experiences worldwide.