The Bank of Cyprus has selected Gemalto to supply what the firms are calling the world's first EMV biometric dual interface payment card for both chip and contactless payments, according to a press release.

Using fingerprint recognition instead of a PIN code to authenticate the cardholder, the card is compatible with existing payment terminals already installed in Cyprus. When customers place their fingerprint on the sensor, a comparison is performed between the scanned fingerprint and the reference biometric data securely stored in the card.

The biometric sensor card is powered by the payment terminal and does not require an embedded battery; this means there is no limit from battery life nor on the number of transactions.

"Bank of Cyprus customers will be first in the world to enjoy biometric convenience on a contactless payment card. Gemalto's biometric sensor payment card is designed to provide maximum security and data privacy," said Bertrand Knopf, Gemalto executive vice president of banking and payment. "Using biometrics for contactless payments is a natural move, as it fits in naturally with the gesture used to pay. It allows a better user experience, enabling higher transaction amounts without entering a PIN while benefiting from the convenience of contactless."