Zwipe AS and MasterCard announced the launch of the world’s very first contactless payment card with embedded fingerprint biometrics. Combining on-device biometric authentication with the convenience of a contactless credit card, the new solution allows for a purchase of any amount to be made without the entry of a PIN, something that has never before been offered by a payment card.

The Zwipe MasterCard solution allows for a purchase of any amount to be made without the entry of a PIN, something that has never before been offered by a payment card.

The Zwipe MasterCard payment card recently completed a pilot in Norway’s Sparebanken DIN, aligned to the Eika Group.

Due to the pilot’s success, the new biometric payment solution is slated for release in 2015 and will be compatible with all payment terminals.

“Our belief is that we should be able to identify ourselves without having to use passwords or PIN numbers,” says Ajay Bhalla, president of Enterprise Security Solutions at MasterCard. “Biometric authentication can help us achieve this. However, our challenge is to ensure the technology offers robust security, simplicity of use and convenience for the customer. Zwipe’s first trial is a significant milestone and its results are very encouraging.”

“Safety and security in everyday payments is at the heart of MasterCard’s business,” he says.