New IDEX Volume Order Reflect ‘Demand Acceleration’ in Biometric Cards Market

IDEX Biometrics has received another volume order for its TrustedBio fingerprint sensor for biometric cards. In announcing the order, IDEX indicated that it’s from an unnamed repeat customer, which it described as “a global smart card integrator and manufacturer”.

The company went on to explain that the customer is moving from a pilot phase to full production, prompting the need to order more TrustedBio sensors. And IDEX CEO Vince Graziani framed the move as reflective of a broader trend of “demand acceleration” from the smart card market.

“This key customer is experiencing demand beyond its prior forecasts, and other current and prospective customers are seeing similar acceleration in demand and the resulting launch of biometric smart card programs,” Graziani explained, adding later that IDEX expects to pick up momentum in orders for its TrustedBio solution “over the coming months, given the projected growth of biometrically-enabled smart card deployments.”

The TrustedBio fingerprint sensor went into mass production in March of this year, with the foundry TSMC producing the TrustedBio ASIC and a separate semiconductor packaging service handling the final assembly of the TrustedBio module. The transition to a full production phase has meant that IDEX could begin fulfilling volume orders it had already received previously, including an order from an unnamed Tier 1 card maker based in Europe, and orders from Zwipe, which is integrating TrustedBio into its own biometric card platform.

All of this activity offers some indication of the high level of anticipation concerning biometric cards, and perhaps especially biometric payment cards. Fingerprint-scanning credit cards are being pitched to consumers as a more secure yet convenient means of performing contactless card transactions, and major commercial launches are expected to begin this year.

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May 26, 2021 – by Alex Perala