SERMEPA Launches VISA-Approved EMV Card Based On GlobalPlatform Specifications
New ‘Advantis JCrypto GP Card’ from SERMEPA becomes one of the first EMV smart card products based on an open platform in Europe
1 May, 2007 – SERMEPA, a leading Spanish technical provider for the payments industry, announces the launch of the ‘Advantis JCrypto GP Card’, which becomes one of the first EMV smart cards in Europe to be created on an open platform, utilizing GlobalPlatform Specifications.
The new card is based on GlobalPlatform Specifications, uses Java Card technology and comprises an Operating System and EMV applet, which have both received approval from Visa.
A unique feature of the card is that the EMV payment applet is integrated with the GlobalPlatform-based Operating System in the ROM of the chip, rather than being stored in the external memory. This offers issuers better performance and much higher security, which is a key consideration, particularly for EMV payment applications.
Another key feature which is enabled due to the card’s GlobalPlatform and Java functionality is its post-issuance download capability. Issuers from the financial and banking community will be able to load new applications, such as electronic signature or identification applications, onto cards once they have been issued to cardholders.
S ince the Advantis JCrypto GP Cards - as with the rest of the card products included in the Advantis family - are based on the SERMEPA strategic model which is open to different providers, they allow issuers multi-sourcing opportunities, as different card manufacturers can supply the Advantis products.
Carmen Carnero Silvo, Deputy General Manager at SERMEPA and GlobalPlatform Board Member, comments: “SERMEPA is pleased to become one of the first providers of a Visa-certified EMV card product based on open standards in Europe. Most EMV card programs launched in Europe to date have been based on proprietary solutions and this presents issuers with some limitations. By bringing the Advantis JCrypto GP Card to market, SERMEPA provides issuers wishing to deploy open EMV payment products with an alternative, unique and totally secure solution.”
Bob Beer, Vice President of Business Development at Datacard Group and Chairman of GlobalPlatform, adds: “As an active Full Member of GlobalPlatform, SERMEPA has always demonstrated commitment to the development and promotion of interoperable smart card specifications across the card, device and systems infrastructure. The launch of their new card product, based on GlobalPlatform Specifications, is a real milestone, not only for SERMEPA but also for GlobalPlatform. It is a clear demonstration that there is a strong demand for open and interoperable EMV products within the payments industry and the launch of this product will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the rate of adoption of GlobalPlatform technology throughout Europe and indeed world-wide.”
The Advantis JCrypto GP Card is part of the SERMEPA family of Advantis products. All the Advantis products have been developed with the possibility of being implemented by multiple providers and as such, any card manufacturer, pre-personalizer or personalizer can include them in their portfolio.
-ENDS –
For further media information, please contact Lee’ann Kaufman / Sarah Jones at iseepr
+44 (0) 113 274 5252
For further information on SERMEPA, please contact Rosa Ovejero /
+34 91 3465335
Notes to Editors:
|
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ADVANTIS JCRYPTO GP CARD |
| EEPROM Memory : 36 kbytes |
| Standards: GlobalPlatform: GP 2.0.1' JavaCard: JC 2.1.2 EMV: EMV 4.1 Visa: VIS 1.4.0 |
| Cryptographic Applet: Signature calculation RSA (2.048 bits) Security 3DES, CBC mode 3DES Card Authentication and RSA Digital Signature Restricted access to internal data, requiring cryptographic verifications Internal generation of RSA Keys (2.048 bits) |
| Chip Component: Infineon SLE66CX360PE |
About GlobalPlatform
GlobalPlatform is the global leader in smart card infrastructure development and its proven, technical specifications for cards, devices and systems are known as the standard for smart card infrastructure. GlobalPlatform is a member driven association with cross-industry representation from all world continents. For more information about GlobalPlatform, visit: www.globalplatform.org
About SERMEPA:
Servicios Para Medios de Pago, S.A. (SERMEPA) is a Spanish company that provides technical solutions to the Payment Industry, and is focused mainly in the Research and Development, Technical Communications, Switching and Operational areas. In 2006, SERMEPA processed more than 1.5 billion transactions.
SERMEPA was founded on June 24, 1981 to provide payment card services in Spain to bank card issuers. Its main area of business was the supply of a centralized service to channel and manually authorize bank card transactions coming from different card issuers. This led to the establishment of a Call Center and to the development and implementation of an on-line card transaction authorization system, the first of its kind in the world. This system consisted of a network of multiple interconnections among issuing banks, affiliated merchants, other payment systems, point-of-sale terminals and ATMs.
Today, SERMEPA operates within Spain and abroad, providing services to a wide array of clients both i) as a communications backbone system and ii) as a technical research and development center. Its dedication and efforts in these fields have made of SERMEPA a highly reputed payment transaction processor within the Payment Industry. For more information about SERMEPA, visit: www.sermepa.es
