MasterCard Biometric card Technology.
                     MASTERCARD 
BIOMETR IC CARD 
TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
 The Mastercard Biometric Card combines 
chip technology with fingerprints to 
conveniently and safely verify the 
cardholder’s identity for in-store 
purchases. 
Source: www.mastercard.us
EMBEDDED SENSOR
 An embedded sensor that's powered by 
the chip, authenticates identity through a 
fingerprint and can be used at EMV 
terminals worldwide.
Source: www.mastercard.us
HOW IT WORKS?
 During a transaction, the embedded 
sensor captures and matches the 
cardholder's fingerprint to the digital 
template stored on the card. 
Source: www.mastercard.us
How the Biometric Card works 
at a chip-enabled terminal?
Step 1
 The cardholder inserts or taps the card at 
the terminal while holding their thumb on 
the card sensor.
Source: www.mastercard.us
Step 2
 The sensor creates a digital image of the 
thumb which is then matched against the 
stored digital template on the card.
Source: www.mastercard.us
Step 3
 If there is a successful biometric match, 
the transaction is authenticated. If there 
is an unsuccessful biometric match, the 
card will prompt the cardholder for a PIN 
or signature.
Source: www.mastercard.us
How does this affect 
merchants?
 Merchants can enjoy greater certainty of 
genuine cardholder identity during 
transactions. 
 As a result, merchants may see increased 
revenue from reduced false declines or 
forgotten PIN transactions.
Source: www.mastercard.us
Developed by a start-
up
 The technology itself has been developed 
by a start-up called Zwipe and will 
require a user to put their finger on the 
embedded sensor as the card is put into 
the retailer's terminal. 
Source: techmonitor.ai
Both fingerprint and 
the sensor 
 This is the first time that a card has 
included both the digital template of a 
user’s fingerprint and the sensor required 
to read the fingerprint itself, no 
contactless version is available yet, but 
one is being worked on.
Source: www.mastercard.us