“Biometric smart cards represent the future for secure ID and payment-related transactions and these first volume shipments to end-users are an important first step in making that future a reality.”-Ritu Favre, CEO, NEXT Biometrics

Singapore-based authentication solutions provider Tactilis has begun shipping NEXT Biometrics‘ fingerprint scanning smart card technology, the companies have announced.

The news comes after last autumn’s announcement that NEXT Biometrics’ fingerprint sensor technology had been integrated into an ISO 17839-compliant flexible card from Tactilis. Now, the companies say that an initial batch of 25,000 smart cards have been produced at a Malaysia-based production facility opened this past April.

According to a statement, Tactilis “has begun first volume shipments” of these smart cards, though the companies haven’t revealed the client or clients in question.

Elaborating on the partnership, NEXT Biometrics CEO Ritu Favre said her firm “has worked closely with Tactilis to deliver its fingerprint sensors and ASICs for Tactilis to build into their high-performance biometric smart card products,” adding that the shipments represent “an important first step” toward the future of biometric ID and payment cards.

NEXT says that moving forward, it is “gearing up to provide additional fingerprint sensors and components to Tactilis as the company ramps production and shipments”, suggesting that the partnership will help to further establish NEXT as a major biometric technology provider as the fingerprint scanning cards market continues to blossom.

(Originally posted on FindBiometrics)