Credit cards began as simple pieces of cardboard.
Credit card fraud likely wasn’t even a budding idea in thieves' minds.
What began as cardboard has evolved greatly, but so too have security issues.
Verifying your fingerprint before you make a transaction is another security option that could eliminate physical card fraud altogether.
Well, it’s already here, particularly if you’re using a digital wallet or virtual card.
If you still use a physical credit card, you could request a biometric card from your bank.
But this technology and even using a physical card altogether already feels antiquated.
So, do experts predict that 2025 will be the year of biometric cards?
But not in the way you might think.
What is a biometric?
Biometrics use an analysis of your biological characteristics to confirm your identity.
Biometrics also help unlock your cell phone or laptop and log you into your favorite apps.
What about biometric credit cards?
The gold-or-silved chip on the face of your card reduced counterfeit fraud by 76%,according to Visa.
Then contactless payments grew in popularity, followed byvirtualanddigital cardsexploding in use in the 2020s.
Biometrics are another layer of security that helps ensure only you’re able to use your credit card.
How do biometric cards work?
If the unit is compromised or stolen, there’s no way for someone to access your biometric data.
Not even Visa would be able to access your face or fingerprint scan within the card.
Bringing credit cards up to speed
Biometric technology even on credit cards isn’t actually new.
“I had a biometric card 10 years ago,” Nelsen said.
But back then, it wasn’t exactly a convenient way to pay.
According to Nelsen, the technology has had several hurdles on its way to mass implementation.
So why don’t we all have a biometric card?
They’re expensive to manufacture.
“That’s why it’s taken so long to perfect this,” Nelsen said.
Are biometric credit cards safer than other credit cards?
Back then, cards used magnetic strips to contain card information and facilitate payments.
Swiping your card was the primary way to pay, but mag strips were relatively easy to counterfeit.
However, since the introduction of EMV chip cards, physical card fraud has decreased significantly.
That means bad actors were able to obtain your card information without having the actual credit card.
Yet niche as it may be, there are those who would love to use this technology.
“From my perspective, one can never have enough arrows in our security quiver.”
Should you get a biometric card in 2025?
Technically, biometric credit cards are already here.
He said Visa has a card with a biometric sensor on it that banks can request on your behalf.
“And if you used it, we would recognize [the transaction].
Will biometric credit cards be widely available in 2025?
“A biometric scan would allow you to surpass that limit.”
For example, Canada has a CA$100 limit for transactions.
France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK all have a 50 limit.
Look at contactless payments and EMV chip technology, for example.
If you’re interested in getting a biometric card, talk to your bank.
In addition to Visa’s offerings, other card manufacturers, includingThalesandSmartMetric, advertise biometric cards.
But you’ll need your card issuer to request one.
Do biometric cards make sense given the rise of digital payments?
Nelsen said that he doesn’t see physical cards going away for a long time.
However, he acknowledged that Visa is more focused on digital experiences.
“What’s the future of cards in general?”
“It depends on the market and the consumer.
And so just the trend would be continued to see more digital use cases and digital wallets.”
