Mobile World Congress 2016: Infineon brings bank-level security to smart devices and mobile payment solutions

Building on consumers’ trust is essential for payment solutions with smart and mobile devices. As one of the world’s largest suppliers of security chips, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) brings its expertise to advance secured transactions on mobile devices and in the Internet of Things (IoT). Infineon’s certified security chip solutions excel with reliable and fast contactless data transmission that will further increase consumers’ acceptance of secured mobile payment. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Infineon will exhibit security solutions in various form factors meeting the needs of mobile payment ecosystems.

“The success of mobile payment services depends on consumers’ confidence. Mobile payment solutions must therefore be as secure and as proven as card-based payment transactions,” says Thomas Rosteck, Vice President and General Manager of Infineon’s Secure Mobile & Transaction business. “Our products bring bank-level security to smart and mobile devices and help to make mobile payment as easy-to-use and convenient as possible.”

Increased connectivity drives demand for mobile payment

Demand for mobile payment is growing rapidly with smartphones, tablets, smart wearables, vehicles or appliances being increasingly connected to the internet. Research company eMarketer forecasts that the total value of mobile payment transactions in the US alone will triple within one year to 27 billion US-dollars in 2016. And with billions of devices to be connected in the IoT, online payment opportunities requiring authentication-based remote payment systems is expected to skyrocket.

Broadest portfolio of certified security solutions

The mobile payment ecosystem demands solutions that combine convenience with bank-level security on connected devices. Infineon’s security chips are already featured in 40 per cent of the world’s smart cards.

Infineon provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of financial security chips and solutions that perform as crypto-engine and secured storage of sensitive data such as keys, certificates or biometric information for electronic payment transactions. The products lead in terms of contactless infrastructure interoperability and are certified according to globally recognized security standards such as Common Criteria and EMVCo (Europay International, MasterCard, VISA).

For secured proximity payment, Infineon provides chips and solutions that bring reliability, security and convenience to e.g. NFC payments. Among these are:

• contactless security chips for smart cards issued in billions of pieces by banks and financial institutions worldwide
• NFC SIMs using Infineon’s SWP (Single Wire Protocol) product family deployed by mobile network providers for mobile devices
• embedded Secure Elements that are deployed in embedded security solutions by market leaders such as Samsung and Lenovo.
• Boosted NFC Secure Elements which, compared to conventional NFC controller solutions, require 80 per cent less printed circuit board footprint and half the stand-by power – both are crucial for smart wearable devices.

Remote online payment is also poised for growth with regard to the billions of connected devices expected in the IoT. In these emerging markets, hardware security could build a solid foundation to protect data as well as the platform integrity of mobile devices – for example to enable convenient biometric authentication for online applications. One option for multi-factor authentication is FIDO (Fast IDentity Online), which drives strong yet simple online authentication. Infineon actively contributes to the development of FIDO specifications and has released FIDO Certified™ USB Token reference designs and standard-compliant products.

Follow the Snyder family

Smartphones and wearables are part of our everyday lives. On the occasion of the Mobile World Congress, Infineon has followed a day in the life of the fictitious Snyder family – also visiting Barcelona. During the day, the family’s smart helpers are repeatedly put to use. It is in this way the reader also discovers the contribution Infineon makes with its products in the areas of security, high frequency, sensors, power management and mobile infrastructure. With this, we make life easier, safer and greener. Find out more at www.infineon.com/mobile-solutions and www.infineon.com/mwc.