André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe says, "It has been a busy and momentous last few months in the world of biometric payments. I am pleased to see how our partners and customers are strengthening their capacity to deliver next generation contactless payment solutions powered by biometric payments platforms from Zwipe. We observe first-hand an increasing awareness and interest from banks, local card schemes and even retailers that are sharing the view that biometric payments provide significant value to consumers."

"Several “1st generation” biometric payment card platforms are now making their way towards the first small-scale commercial launches in 2020. These recent developments clearly signal that this technology will see commercial break-through, representing not only a means for banks to offer “peace of mind” to cardholders and achieve top-of-wallet effects, but also to realize a new source of revenue and value creation." continues Løvestam.

As demonstration of this momentum Zwipe has made several recent major announcements regarding collaborative projects with major interested parties including Publicenter in Italy, Thomas Greg & Sons in Brazil, Watchdata in China and Toppan Form Card Technologies in Hong Kong.

On the demand side, COVID-19 has triggered growing demand and awareness for safe and hygienic payments in the entire society, with transaction limits raised in more than 40 countries worldwide to avoid unnecessary PIN entry and contactless payment rapidly growing everywhere. This builds on the already strong consumer interest for biometric payments before COVID-19, driven by the demand for convenience, security and the “coolness factor” derived from innovative solutions.

Currently Zwipe is complementing its collaboration with direct customers, the smart card manufacturers, by actively stepping up engagements with banks and neo-banks, as well as new players in card issuance, such as retailers and tech companies.

"I feel confident that this will accelerate our route to success while creating value for our customers, shareholders, and consumers." concludes André Løvestam.