IDEX Biometrics and LIFE CARD Launch Japan’s First Biometric Payment Cards

A major new partnership has resulted in the launch of Japan’s first commercial biometric payment cards. The partnership brings together Norwegian biometric technology specialist IDEX Biometrics with LIFE CARD, one of Japan’s established credit card issuers.

The payment cards incorporate fingerprint sensors that verify users’ identities during transactions, eliminating the need for PIN codes while providing enhanced security against fraud. The launch builds on IDEX’s recent success in obtaining Mastercard approval for its biometric payment platform, which has helped accelerate global adoption of the technology.

This commercial rollout represents a strategic expansion into the Japanese market for IDEX Biometrics, following its successful deployments in other regions including a recent launch in India. The cards comply with EMVCo standards, which are currently being formalized through the organization’s “Biometric on Card” initiative to establish uniform performance and security requirements for fingerprint-scanning payment cards.

Japan has been steadily advancing its biometric technology adoption across multiple sectors. The country has already implemented facial recognition systems for railway ticketing, and major retailers like Family Mart have begun testing facial recognition payment systems. The introduction of biometric payment cards aligns with this broader trend toward more secure and convenient authentication methods in Japanese commerce.

The technology employs on-card biometric processing, in which fingerprint data is stored and verified directly on the payment card’s secure element, rather than in an external database. This approach ensures user privacy while enabling rapid verification at standard point-of-sale terminals. Industry analysts project significant growth in this sector, with global biometric payment users expected to reach 3.5 billion by 2030.

Sources: Placera.se,

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January 27, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team