No more embossed numbers, no more magnetic strips, no more signatures: bank cards are being transformed and simplified! And all of this without sacrificing transaction security.
The bank card, this everyday and familiar object, is undergoing a complete transformation. The gradual disappearance of embossed numbers, magnetic stripes and signature fields is paving the way to more modern and secure cards. However, development is not just about simplification: new features such as the fingerprint sensor are also appearing.
Outdated witnesses of the past
Embossed numbers on bank cards date back to a time when payment terminals used wooden shoes to print these numbers on a receipt. With the proliferation of electronic payment terminals (TPE), this element has become obsolete. Banks such as La Banque Postale and Fortuneo have already removed these embossed numbers from their new cards. Other institutions, such as the Banque Populaire and the Caisse d’Épargne, opt for printed numbers, although more in relief.
The magnetic stripe and signature area could also be added next. These functions have lost their usefulness with technological developments and are now considered relics of the past. According to Vincent Mouret, vice president of marketing at Idemia, only a few elements, such as the electronic chip, the anti-counterfeit hologram and the acceptance network logo, will remain indispensable in the future, as he mentioned at MoneyVox.
Simplifying bank card design is not the only development currently taking place. The integration of a fingerprint sensor on the card itself is a feature that is increasingly being offered by institutions such as BNP Paribas. This innovation could make transactions easier by eliminating the need to choose a secret code, especially for visually impaired people. However, this type of card currently remains an expensive option and is mainly available for high-end cards.
Other, more useful functions also appear. For example, cards designed specifically for visually impaired people have a notch that indicates the correct orientation of the card. However, not all customers see these changes positively. Some people mistakenly consider a card without an embossed number to be a “low-end” card. However, Grégory Guermonprez, director of the online bank Fortuneo, assures that “the change is absolutely neutral” in terms of acceptance and functionalities.
Technological advances and the desire to offer more modern and secure products are profoundly changing the landscape of bank cards and our wallets. While some traditional and outdated features will disappear, new features, such as fingerprint sensors, could become standard in the near future.