First Data Offers Banks Faster Path to Issuing Chip-and-PIN Cards

First Data is partnering with The Members Group to offer financial institutions a streamlined process for issuing chip-and-PIN cards.

Such cards have an embedded computer chip and sometimes require the customer to provide a personal identification number. They're harder to clone and therefore generally considered more secure than the magnetic stripe cards used in the U.S. today.

By implementing this card issuance, First Data says it has seen approximately a 50% to 70% reduction in timing. The company's goal is to get a "consistent 90-120 day start-up window."

The time is shortened because clients are provided with a prescribed list of options that has defined processes. Additionally, both Visa and MasterCard support standard EMV chip profiles, and if this type of module is initially selected, clients can eliminate some of the card testing and certification processes that take much longer, according to First Data. First Data has qualified with both Visa and MasterCard to offer its faster credit card issuance program to financial institutions.

The Atlanta-based payments processing provider has supported EMV for more than a decade. Des Moines, Iowa-based TMG started assisting clients with EMV implementation in 2010.

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