Smart Technology and Smart Strategies: Critiquing the Path of Chip Technology

Despite the lack of initiative in the US over the past few years, Celent believes that smart cards are not on their way to extinction, but will instead have a significant presence by 2012.

Smart cards, also called chip cards, are old news for many. Most people are aware of their applicability to payments, but have seen many programs fail in the US while they continue to rise in other parts of the world. In a new report, , Celent examines the evolution of smart cards and their likely impact on the US credit card market.

Several factors will determine the fate of smart cards, including the threat of fraud, EMV, and the overall migration of smart cards across the world. These drivers have been assumed for quite some time; other factors, such as the elimination of cash-based systems, radio frequency technology, and the proliferation of smart technology in other industries, are spurring the renewed interest in smart cards in the US.

"Those close to the payments industry and with an eye on the progress of smart technology know that smart cards in the US will one day take over magnetic stripes and revolutionize the payment industry, as they already have done in Europe," comments Ariana-Michele Moore, a banking analyst at Celent and author of the report. "It is only a matter of when and how. We wanted to give our readers some fresh perspectives on the issue and what we believe to be realistic, and not so realistic, assumptions."

The 33-page report contains 11 figures and five tables. A is available online.

of Celent Communications' Retail Banking research service can download the report electronically by clicking on the icon to the left. Non-members should contact info@celent.com for more information.