Advanced Secure-IC family for cards

As chip-and-PIN credit/debit cards attempt again to make inroads into the US, bringing enhanced security and ease of use, STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has revealed its most advanced family of STPay secure chips optimized for applications from basic online-only cards to dual-interface cards for contactless payments. Chip-and-PIN cards that embed an EMV-compliant secure chip such as STPay are able to store and process data securely and are virtually impossible to replicate, unlike traditional magnetic-stripe cards. The cards were introduced throughout European payments systems during the mid 2000s. Thanks to the EMV technology, fraud due to counterfeit cards has now fallen by around two-thirds in the UK alone while lost/stolen card fraud is 50% lower compared to pre chip-and-PIN levels, according to data from Financial Fraud Action UK. In addition, the new chip cards will enable US cardholders to make payments more easily when traveling abroad, as acceptance of magnetic-stripe cards diminishes worldwide. ST is a leading provider of secure ICs for applications ranging from credit/debit cards to NFC SIMs, public transportation fare cards and eID cards, with a successful track record spanning more than 30 years. The STPay family is based on a secure IC with advanced 90nm semicon...