Payment cards to have biometric sensor

CAPE TOWN: After successful trials with a local bank and retailer, Mastercard has introduced the payments card in South Africa which will feature a biometric fingerprint scanner. Instead of requiring its owner to enter a four-digit personal identification number, it features a small area that can verify the card user’s fingerprints. To use the card, a shopper must hold the card by the fingerprint sensor and insert it into a card reader, which will then verify and approve the transaction. Mastercard is currently extending its trials to introduce the technology.