Switzerland-based Cornèrcard has partnered with Gemalto and Visa in order to introduce the nation’s first credit card that features a biometric fingerprint reader.
As noted on Cornèrcard’s official website:
“With the exclusive Cornèrcard Biometric Gold Visa credit card you hold a … high-tech product in your hands: your fingerprint – as unique as you – offers you the ultimate combination of security and comfort when paying. At the same time, with your limited edition of 100 cards, you can enjoy the personal scope you desire thanks to generous spending limits and exceptional additional services.”
Consumers must pay a one-time membership fee of CHF 300 (appr. $302) in order to obtain and start using the limited edition Cornèrcard Biometric Gold Visa card. The annual fee is CHF 190 (appr. $192), and the card can be used without paying any fees for the first year.
In order to register a fingerprint on the Cornèrcard Biometric Gold Visa credit card, users have to touch a sensor, with an LED that signals the successful capture.
To perform the first transaction with the card, users have to input a PIN. After the PIN has been entered (and accepted), users can begin confirming transactions at the point of sale by simply using their finger to touch the card’s sensor.
Davide Rigamonti, director at Cornèrcard, stated:
“The biometric payment card is not only special in terms of its appearance; it also guarantees a special payment experience and fits perfectly into the everyday life of the modern consumer.”