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Gemalto contactless biometric Visa card to launch in Lebanon

April 17, 2018

Gemalto is supplying its Visa biometric contactless EMV bank card to areeba, a financial technology company that provides payment solutions in the Middle East.

The pilot project with areeba is being undertaken in conjunction with Unilux Cards, Gemalto's established partner in Lebanon, according to a press release.

Lebanese cardholders will be able to use the biometric payment card at thousands of standard POS terminals throughout the country.

The card, which uses biometric technology from Zwipe, allows users to authorize transactions via the card's built-in fingerprint scanner, rather than having to enter a PIN at the POS.

The fingerprint is compared instantly with the cardholder data stored in the card. The card is powered from the POS terminal, eliminating the need for an on-board battery.

The card also provides for the use of conventional PIN-based authentication, as an alternative authenticator for higher-value transactions.

"Our latest payment card innovation marries biometric strong authentication and contactless, two of the most powerful forces currently shaping the consumer landscape," Nassir Ghrous, Gemalto senior vice president of digital banking and payments for the CISMEA region, said in the release. "By introducing the biometric card to the MEA region, areeba is also marking the beginning of a new era — one that will ultimately spell an end to the need for PINs and passwords."