Logica and Visa to help banks migrate to EMV chip cards

BANGALORE: Logica, the global IT solutions company, has announced that it has been confirmed as a partner of VISA in the recently launched Chip Migration Partner Program for Asia Pacific. This partnership will allow Logica to supply its EMV Enabler solution and related professional services to VISA member banks.

Europay International, MasterCard International and VISA International formed EMVCo in February 1999 to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV Integrated Circuit Card Specifications for payment systems.

The Asia Pacific Chip Migration Partner Program is part of VISA's initiative to accelerate the move from magnetic stripe credit and debit cards towards EMV chip-based payment cards throughout the region. Under the program, VISA offers its member banks a host of smart card services from 16 of the region's leading chip vendor companies, including Logica. These companies will be able to provide complementary offerings, include project management, consultancy and system integration, to support banks in their chip migration process.

Logica's EMV Enabler is a complete solution, which is suited to merchants, acquiring and issuing banks, and shared payments switches that are migrating towards EMV compliance. Besides this easy-to-deploy solution, Logica offers a wide range of consultancy, project management and professional services that will help VISA member banks to simplify the migration process.

Louwke van der Steen, Logica Asia's strategic developments director, said, "Logica has been implementing electronic funds transfer solutions around the globe for over 20 years. We see EMV migration as the single most important development in the card payment industry since the introduction of the magnetic strip. As well as helping to eradicate fraud, it will also give the banks a great opportunity to give new and innovative offerings to their customers. We are delighted to become a new partner of VISA for this challenging project."

David Chan, Head of Chip Products, VISA Asia Pacific, said, "We are really pleased to introduce Logica in our Asia Pacific Chip Migration Partner Program. Logica was chosen as a partner because it has extensive experience in implementing EMV systems, as well as comprehensive knowledge of all areas of EMV."