Throughout the world, payment by card is becoming more popular and more efficient, with new applications appearing every day.

Security is one of the major factors needing constant improvement in electronic payment. More secure PIN code verification techniques are needed. New algorithms (e.g. RSA) with public key infrastructure (PKI) are now used, and 3DES algorithms with longer keys encipher the PIN for better protection. All of these operations require processing by increasingly powerful payment terminals.

Security is also increased by using smart cards. The international program for migration to EMV standard is well underway. Many countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America issue EMV smart cards and fit new readers into their terminals. EMVCo, the specialized body founded by the international Visa and MasterCard networks, has organized international payment terminal certification.

New types of payment also exist now, although traditional debit/credit transactions remain the most common method of payment. In some countries, e-purse, pre-payment and pre-authorization are already in use. Apart from this banking software, other applications can be integrated into the terminals, such as: loyalty programs, private label cards, etc., which means that the terminal must have a multi-application structure.

Alongside this diversity of payment modes, the technology integrated into terminals is increasingly innovative. Portable GSM or GPRS terminals are used for mobile payments (home deliveries, markets, trade fairs, etc.), and other wireless technologies are integrated to provide new services for restaurants, bars, etc. Portable terminals are compact and easy to handle, and fit easily at the point of sale.

Internet Protocol (IP) links are increasingly used to speed up payments and decrease communication costs. The latest innovation is the contactless card which facilitates payment operations and reduces time spent at the cash desk - another revolution in the world of electronic payments!