The financial card industry is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, consumer preferences, and regulatory requirements. In 2025, key developments will focus on material innovation, security enhancements, and advanced personalization techniques. Financial institutions are embracing these trends to improve customer experience, enhance security, and drive sustainability in payment solutions.

2025 trends in financial cards

1. New card features and designs:

  • Metal cards remain popular among high-net-worth individuals due to their durability and premium feel.
  • Eco-friendly cards, including wooden and biodegradable options, are gaining traction as consumers and financial institutions seek sustainable solutions.
  • Socially conscious card features, such as Braille elements and custom cut shapes, enhance accessibility and financial institutions’ social awareness.
  • Vertical card layout (Portrait) is becoming more common, aligning with digital wallets and modern design aesthetics.
  • Vertical card numbers enhance readability and match the way cards are handled in payment terminals.
  • Personalization only on the back of the card provides a cleaner, minimalist front design while maintaining security.
  • Edge printing with different colors create visual differentiation, enhancing brand recognition and customer engagement.

2. Security enhancements:

  • EMV chips continue to be the standard for fraud prevention, with improved encryption protocols.
  • Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint recognition embedded in cards, enhances security.
  • Dynamic CVV codes, which change periodically, are being integrated into digital-first card solutions.

3. Printing and personalization technologies:

  • Flat printing, including drop-on-demand, inkjet and thermal direct-to-card printing, has already taken over from traditional embossing due to its compatibility with modern card designs.
  • Laser engraving provides enhanced durability and security features, especially for metal and wooden cards.
  • Dual-interface personalization supports both contact and contactless payments, ensuring compatibility with global POS systems.

Matica solutions: Delivering innovation in card issuance

Matica Group addresses these trends through a comprehensive range of:

Central issuance solutions:
Modular, flexible, with configuration according to the customer’s demands and fully upgradable.

  • S7000: A high-speed modular system capable of handling up to 2,000 cards per hour, integrating embossing, thermal printing, laser engraving, and smart card encoding. It offers unmatched flexibility and scalability for financial institutions and government agencies.
  • S7000Jet: Utilizing Drop on Demand (DoD) inkjet printing, this solution prints up to 1,500 cards per hour in high-resolution 600dpi, providing an eco-friendly alternative with lower operational costs.
  • S5200LX: A specialized laser engraver ideal for flat card personalization on metal and composite cards, offering high durability, security, and long-lasting engraving quality.
  • S5200LXCO2: The S5200LX’s laser engraver integrated with a CO2-based laser source for wooden card personalization, supporting sustainable initiatives.

Instant issuance solutions:

PCI, Visa® and Mastercard® compliant, with lockable features, compact size for in-branch issuance and with all financial card personalization requirements.

  • S3300e: Secure and compact card embosser / encoder for branch-level issuance, enabling financial institutions to deliver embossed, personalized cards instantly and in-branch.
  • S3610: a comprehensive instant issuance solution that combines thermal printing, embossing and dual-interface encoding to deliver secure credit and debit cards on demand at branch level.
  • S3110: A user-friendly instant issuance combining thermal printing with dual-interface encoding for seamless integration into branch operations. Ideal for personalizing pre-printed card templates with variable text and electronic data.

Software solutions:

the Xpressi software suite can be tailored to any requirement and enables issuers to personalize a wide variety of financial services compliant chip types and brands, whilst keeping sensitive data secure throughout the issuance process.

  • Xpressi central issuance: Reliable and secure software for centralized financial card production. It enables issuers to personalize smart cards from multiple card manufacturers, utilizing just one easy-to-use application. This fully featured software package is ideally suited for issuers that centrally issue smart financial cards and enables seamless configuration and reconfiguration.
  • Xpressi instant issuance: Easy-to-use, secure, instant financial card issuance. It can personalize a wide variety of chip types and brands, enabling the issuance of compliant Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) credit, debit or prepaid cards on-demand and in-branch.
  • Xpressi Pay: Secure mobile payment software, the secure solution for issuers to create custom branded e-wallets in the form of a user-friendly application. Matica’s Xpressi Pay includes options for Host Card Emulation (HCE-NFC) and customer presented QR Codes. It enables financial institutions to increase profits, boost customer engagement levels and develop brand identity.

Matica’s innovative solutions help financial institutions stay ahead of the latest trends with cutting-edge issuance technologies.

Contact our sales team to implement the right financial card issuance strategy for your institution.

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