Biometric Cards

Biometric Smart Cards Overview

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Overview of biometric smart cards: on-card fingerprint sensors, match-on-card architecture, and market adoption.

  
  

    
    
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    4 min read
    
  








  
  

    
    
      
      
  1. 
        Biometric Smart Cards Overview
      
    2. 
      
      
  2. 
        Component Architecture
      
    3. 
      
      
  3. 
        Market Landscape (2024–2025)
      
    4. 
      
      
  4. 
        Matching Accuracy Metrics
      
    5. 
      
      
  5. 
        Power Considerations
      
    6. 
      
      
  6. 
        Regulatory and Standards Landscape
      
    7. 
      
    

  









  
  

  
  

    
    

      
Biometric Smart Cards Overview


A biometric smart card integrates a fingerprint sensor, a biometric processing unit, and
a conventional smart card chip into the same card body. The defining feature is
on-card matching (Match-on-Card, MoC): the fingerprint template is stored inside the
secure element, the comparison algorithm runs entirely on
the card, and only a pass/fail Boolean leaves the card — the biometric data itself is
never transmitted.


This architecture eliminates the privacy risks associated with server-side biometric
databases and enables strong two-factor authentication (something you have + something
you are) without exposing the template to the reader or host system.


Component Architecture


┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  Card Body (PVC, 0.8 mm)          │
│                                                    │
│  ┌──────────────┐   ┌───────────────────────────┐ │
│  │  Fingerprint  │   │     Smart Card Chip       │ │
│  │  Sensor       │──►│  ┌─────────────────────┐ │ │
│  │  (capacitive  │   │  │  Biometric MCU       │ │ │
│  │   or optical) │   │  │  (template + match)  │ │ │
│  └──────────────┘   │  └─────────────────────┘ │ │
│                      │  ┌─────────────────────┐ │ │
│  ┌──────────────┐   │  │  Payment / PKI App  │ │ │
│  │  Battery      │   │  │  ([JavaCard]/[GP])  │ │ │
│  │  (optional)   │   │  └─────────────────────┘ │ │
│  └──────────────┘   │  [EEPROM]: template store │ │
│                      └───────────────────────────┘ │
│        Contactless antenna (ISO 14443)             │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘



Cards in the EMV biometric programme (Mastercard, Visa) add a
fingerprint sensor in the lower-right corner and harvest RF energy from the payment
terminal to power the sensor and matching chip — no battery required.


Market Landscape (2024–2025)






Vendor
Card Platform
Sensor
Target Market






Fingerprint Cards (FPC)
FPC1300
Capacitive area
Banking, access




IDEX Biometrics
IDEX TrustedBio
Capacitive area
Banking, government




Infineon
SLC38 + SECORA Pay Bio
Capacitive strip
EMV payment




Zwipe
Zwipe Pay ONE
Capacitive area
Banking




Thales
Gemalto Biometric Card
Capacitive area
Banking, enterprise




HID Global
Crescendo Bio
Capacitive area
Enterprise access






Matching Accuracy Metrics


Biometric smart cards are evaluated using three primary accuracy metrics:






Metric
Definition
Typical Target






FAR (False Accept Rate)
P(match
different finger)




FRR (False Reject Rate)
P(reject
correct finger)




FTE (Failure to Enrol)
P(enrolment fails)
< 1%




FTA (Failure to Acquire)
P(sensor cannot capture)
< 2%






See Match-on-Card Technology for a deep dive into the
on-card comparison algorithms and template formats.


Power Considerations






Scenario
Power Source
Notes






Contactless payment
RF harvesting (ISO 14443)
~6 mW available at 13.56 MHz




Contact (chip & PIN)
VCC contact pad (3V/5V)
Full power available




Battery-assisted
On-card thin battery
5–7 year life; enables always-on




Dual-interface + battery
RF + battery hybrid
Sensor active before tap






Battery-free operation requires the fingerprint capture and match to complete within
the ISO 14443 activation window — typically 300–500 ms — placing tight constraints on
sensor resolution and matching algorithm complexity.


Regulatory and Standards Landscape






Standard
Scope






EMVCo Biometric Card Specification
Payment card biometric CVM




ISO/IEC 19794-2
Minutiae-based fingerprint data format




ISO/IEC 19794-4
Finger image data format




NIST SP 800-76
Biometric specifications for PIV




ANSSI / BSI Protection Profile
Biometric match security requirements






Use the EAL Comparator to compare biometric card security
certifications, and Biometric Payment Cards for the
EMV-specific implementation pathway.

    

    

    
    
    
    

    
    

      




  
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Our guides cover a range of experience levels. Getting Started guides introduce smart card fundamentals. Security guides address Common Criteria certification and key management. Programming guides target developers working with APDU commands, JavaCard applets, and GlobalPlatform card management.