NatWest unleashes first biometric card in the UK
NatWest has launched its first biometric fingerprint card, as part of a national pilot to verify contactless transactions that go above the £30 contactless limit.
“A secure and convenient alternative to passwords and PINs”
A fingerprint is registered onto the bank card, which is then locked onto it and cannot be changed. The fingerprint is only held on the card and not centrally by the bank with each transaction verified using data which is encrypted and stored locally on the card.
Shops will be able to accept payments without updating their technology.
NatWest is working closely with digital security company Gemalto and Visa to bring the service to customers in the UK. The pilot will last three months.
“Biometric authentication and identification are set to transform financial services and we’re proud to be leading the way in this field alongside our partners,” says Howard Berg, senior vice president, UK Ireland and Switzerland of Gemalto, a Thales Company.
“In financial services, biometrics are gaining ground as a secure and convenient alternative to passwords and PINs,” says Jeni Mundy, managing director, UK and Ireland, Visa. “This technology has the potential to make the lives of consumers easier and provides greater choice to confirm their identity.”
In other news, NatWest has also recently launched a new biometric payment approval feature, which allows business and commercial banking customers to make payments of any size through their Bankline Mobile app using Face ID or Touch ID, without the need for a card reader.
The new feature also allows businesses to authorise multiple users to setup payments, which business owners can then subsequently approve on the go through their app.
