IDEMIA Secure Transactions receives EMVCo certification for post-quantum payment platform

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) has achieved EMVCo certification for a payment card platform designed to address the security threats posed by advancing quantum computing. The platform integrates post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and crypto-agility capabilities into a certified, payment-ready solution.

Designed for the hardware constraints of payment cards, the technology utilizes a secure chip featuring a hardware post-quantum accelerator. It incorporates the IDEMIA Sphere PQC library, which includes NIST-standardized ML-KEM and ML-DSA algorithms optimized for limited processing power and memory.

This certification allows banks to issue cards that remain compatible with existing payment ecosystems while providing the flexibility to transition to new cryptographic standards as they evolve. The platform aims to protect existing card programs and pave the way for quantum-resistant offline payments without disrupting current applications.