Mastercard expands smart card reach

MasterCard International has joined GlobalPlatform, the first cross-industry organization to develop, manage and promote a standardized framework for multiple application smart cards.

MasterCard joins existing members of GlobalPlatform to combine the interests of smart card issuers, vendors, industry groups, public entities and technology companies, to define global requirements and technology standards for multiple application smart cards.

The significant new membership will boost GlobalPlatform’s member total to 55 organizations – a figure it has achieved only two years since its inception in September 1999.

"MasterCard is dedicated to creating a universal platform and infrastructure that will make it easier and less expensive to deploy multi-application smart cards on a global basis," said Art Kranzley, chief e-Business officer, MasterCard International. "By joining GlobalPlatform, we are responding to the growing desire of our members to have maximum flexibility when initiating smart card programs of their own.

MasterCard is in a position to help guide the future direction of GlobalPlatform’s operational framework and to look for ways to expand the functionality of this specification to support MULTOS."

It is the only global payments association to actively support all major smart card environments, and is interested in working with GlobalPlatform members and committees to broaden the scope of GlobalPatform members and committees to broaden the scope of GlobalPatform to support MULTOS, and add it to the existing GlobalPlatform support for JavaCard, and Windows Powered Smart Cards.

In this way, MasterCard intends to work with GlbalPatform members to acehive a comprehensive, open and inclusive common card management framework for all major smart card technologies.

"We are delighted to welcome MasterCard as the latest member of GlobalPatform," said Steve Brown, chairman of GlobalPatform and head of Business Development at BT Ignite eBusiness. "We believe that bringing together GlobalPlatform’s existing specifications and road map with MasterCard’s experience with MULTOS and multi-application smart cards, can result in enhanced, convergent industry standards."

Brown added that GlobalPatform intends to rename these specifications to better reflect this wider remit.

GlobalPatform established a structured recruitment campaign, involving all current members from various industries and sectors. In this way, it can continue to work towards developing standards that meet the needs of all those issuing or planning to issue multiple application smart cards.