• Samsung has introduced the “S3B512C” fingerprint security integrated circuit (IC) primarily targeting the biometric payment card market. The IC can also be used for identity verification and access controls. 

• This is reportedly the first “all-in-one” security IC for biometric cards, which combines the secure element, secure processor, and fingerprint sensor. Accordingly, the S3B512C should help card manufacturers reduce the number of chips required in developing biometric payment cards.  

• The new IC comprises anti-spoofing technology and is certified by EMVCo. It also complies with Mastercard’s latest Biometric Evaluation Plan Summary (BEPS) specifications for biometric payment cards. 

• Samsung offers a diverse range of biometric payment solutions for remote and card payments. It caters to the remote biometrics segment through its digital wallet “Samsung Pay,” which lets Samsung smart device users make payments (remote and in-store) using credit and debit cards that they link to the wallet. Samsung Pay enables users to authenticate and complete transactions through fingerprint and facial recognition. Samsung also partnered with Mastercard in March 2021 to launch a biometric payment card in Korea later in the year.

<ul><li> Analyst QuickTake: This marks Samsung’s entry into the biometric payment card technology segment, which currently comprises fingerprint sensor manufacturers such as Fingerprint Cards AB and IDEX Biometrics . Existing manufacturers have also seen landmark approvals in recent times, with Fingerprint Cards AB sensor achieving compliance with Mastercard’s new anti-spoofing requirements (earlier this month) and Idemia’s “F Code” cards, featuring IDEX Biometrics’ “TrustedBio” solution, being approved by Visa and Mastercard (November 2021).</ul>