Fime gains EMVCo recognition for biometric card tests
Fime has received EMVCo recognition for biometric card sensor testing at its EMEA laboratory.
The recognition allows Fime to evaluate fingerprint biometric sensors against the EMV Biometric Card Specification, the payments industry standard used to assess whether biometric components meet common technical and security requirements.
Biometric payment cards have been in development for several years, as issuers and manufacturers test whether fingerprint-based authentication can be used at scale. The latest recognition places Fime among the organisations able to assess sensors for reliability, liveness detection and user convenience.
For banks, card makers and biometric technology providers, the testing process is intended to provide an external check that products align with industry specifications before wider deployment. It also comes as the market for alternative card authentication methods continues to develop beyond pilot programmes.
Testing scope
EMVCo sets specifications and approval processes used across the global card payments industry. Its recognition gives laboratories authority to carry out certain evaluations under those frameworks, which can be important for vendors seeking acceptance across different markets and payment schemes.
In this case, the scope covers fingerprint sensor evaluation for biometric cards. The work includes examining how consistently a sensor performs, whether it can resist spoofing through liveness detection, and how practical it is for cardholders to use in everyday payment situations.
Biometric cards are designed to authenticate cardholders through a stored fingerprint rather than relying solely on a PIN or signature. Supporters argue the approach could reduce fraud risk and improve ease of use, particularly in contactless transactions, although cost, manufacturing complexity and certification remain factors in adoption.
Fime has been involved in biometric testing since 2017, covering sensors, biometric components and authenticator devices. The new recognition adds a formal industry designation tied specifically to biometric payment card sensors.
Market shift
The announcement reflects a wider shift in the payments sector as biometric cards move from controlled trials towards broader roll-outs. For technology suppliers, access to recognised testing laboratories can become a practical requirement as customers seek evidence that products meet international standards.
Independent evaluation can also affect interoperability. In payments, products often need to work across banks, card production systems, terminals and payment networks in multiple jurisdictions, making common specifications central to commercial deployment.
Noël Catherine, SVP Services at Fime, said the recognition broadens the company's role in that process.
"Biometrics are reshaping the future of secure payments. This recognition expands our ability to support the ecosystem as biometric cards scale globally. Our mission is to help innovators bring secure, trusted solutions to market faster."
Fime operates in payments, digital identity and smart mobility, and includes the consulting business Consult Hyperion. The company says it has more than 900 consultants and engineers worldwide, providing advisory and testing services to clients developing transaction and identity products.
Recognition for biometric card sensor testing may also strengthen Fime's position in a segment where demand depends not only on technical performance, but also on trust from issuers, manufacturers and scheme participants. In payment systems, recognised validation can influence whether a product moves from prototype to procurement.
The development underlines the continued build-out of specialist assurance services around biometric payments, an area of growing interest as card issuers look for new ways to authenticate users without changing established card form factors. Fime will assess fingerprint sensors against global industry standards covering reliability, liveness detection and user convenience.