Contact Smart Card

Contact smart card with same size as a standard CR80 card but also have a single embedded chip. The card is inserted into a reader and information is read or written on to the chip via electrical connectivity with its gold-plated contact pads.

The embedded integrated circuit chip can either comprise just memory, or it may also contain a microprocessor. Memory-only chips are more cost-effective but offer less security and less flexibility.

Information on chips with a microprocessor can be updated securely and can also contain enhanced security features (such as for EMV payment cards) to protect the contents of the chip’s memory from any unauthorised access.