Articles related to Payment Solutions

End-to-End Payment Solutions

In an industry where efficiency, security, and customer experience are key, the processes involved in issuing, managing, and distributing cards often remain overly complex and fragmented.

For banks and insurance companies, this translates into a heavier operational burden, reduced agility, and difficulty in ensuring a consistent experience throughout the card’s entire lifecycle.

The solution lies in an integrated approach—an end-to-end model that simplifies, centralizes, and optimizes the entire process.

An end-to-end model designed for the financial sector

A card’s lifecycle begins long before it is produced. It starts with the online order, where the experience must be simple, secure, and fully digital.

Integrating processes such as digital signature-based contracts, automatic validations, and onboarding helps eliminate friction and significantly speed up the sign-up process. Throughout this journey, notifications—via SMS or email—keep customers informed at every step, fostering transparency and trust.

Managing the entire card lifecycle through a single partner allows you to drastically reduce complexity and increase operational control. From the initial application through ongoing management, each step is designed to operate seamlessly and integrate with existing systems, while meeting the stringent requirements of the financial sector.

Online credit card application: the start of a seamless experience

Even before production and delivery, it all starts with the card order—and this is where many experiences still fall short. Complex, unintuitive, or overly manual processes create friction right from the very first point of contact with the customer.

A truly end-to-end approach starts by digitizing and streamlining this critical moment. With online card application solutions, you can provide a fast, intuitive, and fully integrated experience, allowing customers to sign up in just a few steps from any device.

This process can include digital contracting with electronic signatures, automatic validations, and direct integration with the institution’s internal systems, ensuring compliance and security without compromising the user experience.

Communication plays a central role throughout the entire process. Sending notifications via SMS or email allows customers to track the status of their order in real time—from sign-up confirmation to card shipment. This transparency reduces uncertainty, improves the perception of service, and strengthens customer trust.

More than just a starting point, the online application thus becomes the foundation of a consistent and seamless experience, aligned with today’s digital expectations and fully integrated with the subsequent stages of the card’s lifecycle.

Highly customizable cards

The flexibility of customization allows each card to be tailored to business objectives and different customer segments. Whether through materials, finishes, or graphic elements, every detail helps reinforce brand positioning and differentiation.

At the same time, the integration of advanced security features ensures that this customization does not compromise the levels of protection required by the industry.

Efficient production, with scale and consistency

Centralizing production and customization processes ensures consistent quality and significantly reduces the risk of errors. At the same time, it ensures the ability to handle large volumes quickly—which is essential for institutions with large-scale operations.

This process is complemented by validation and communication tools, such as SMS messages confirming the address and shipping notifications (“package on its way”), which increase the successful delivery rate and improve the customer experience.

This balance between scale, control, and communication is one of the key factors in increasing efficiency without compromising reliability.

Cardmails that strengthen communication with customers

The moment a card is handed over is a critical—and often underestimated—touchpoint. Cardmails are no longer just a physical medium; they now play an active role in communication.

With a fully customized design that aligns with the institution’s brand identity, these materials provide an opportunity to convey relevant messages, support onboarding, and guide card activation. The result is a clearer, more intuitive experience that aligns with the perception of value that banks and insurance companies aim to convey.

Integrated distribution with operational and communication visibility

Distribution logistics is no longer an isolated process but is now integrated into the organization’s ecosystem, enabling greater coordination and efficiency throughout the entire process.

When it comes to customer communications, there is complete visibility—from shipping notifications to relevant updates throughout the journey—ensuring transparency and consistency in the information shared.

When cards are shipped physically, the entire process is tracked up to the point of dispatch, after which delivery is handled by the carrier. Even so, this model allows institutions to maintain a high level of predictability and operational control.

For banks and insurance companies, this combination of communication transparency and operational control is particularly important at critical moments in the customer relationship, when the timing and clarity of information make all the difference.

Sustainability built into the process

The integration of sustainable practices throughout the entire lifecycle of credit cards is no longer optional.

The use of materials such as recycled PVC or PLA helps reduce the environmental impact without compromising quality or safety.

At the same time, initiatives such as the MERECE promote the collection and recycling of cardboard, contributing to a more circular and responsible economy.

This commitment enhances not only operational efficiency but also the institutions’ reputation among their clients.

Technology as the foundation for control, efficiency, and customer experience

It is in the technological aspect that the end-to-end model gains the greatest depth and impact—connecting every stage of the card’s lifecycle.

From online ordering with integrated digital onboarding to issuance and distribution, technology enables the orchestration and automation of processes, ensuring consistency.

Throughout the cardholder’s usage period, communications such as statements, alerts, and transaction notifications can be managed in an integrated manner, combining physical and digital channels based on the customer’s profile and process requirements.

Even in more sensitive situations, such as debt collection, solutions like sending certified emails with legal validity allow, whenever possible, for the replacement of traditional mail, ensuring proof of delivery, integrity, and traceability, while reducing costs and processing times.

The result is an ecosystem where the physical and digital worlds complement each other, creating a more seamless, efficient experience that meets customer expectations.

Greater efficiency, greater control, a better experience

By consolidating the entire process into an end-to-end model, the benefits become clear. Operations become simpler, control levels increase, and responsiveness improves significantly.

At the same time, the customer experience benefits from greater clarity, speed, and consistency—factors that are increasingly valued in an industry where trust is paramount.

Simplify to evolve

In a demanding and ever-changing market, the ability to simplify complex processes is a true competitive advantage.

An integrated payment solutions model enables financial institutions not only to optimize their current operations but also to lay a solid foundation for more agile growth.

Contact us to find out how we can help transform your card issuance and management processes—with a truly “turnkey” approach.

Shaping a brand's identity... on a card

In a world where differentiation is increasingly challenging, every detail counts. And when it comes to cards - be they bank cards, loyalty cards, access cards or identity cards - design and finishes play an essential role in the way a brand communicates with its users. That's why, at Contisystems, we see card design as much more than an aesthetic issue: it's about creating visual and tactile experiences that reflect the identity of each organization.

A Process that Starts with the Brand

Contisystems' card design service starts well before the first layout. We work closely with our clients to understand their brand positioning, the target audience, the card's objectives and the message they want to convey. From there, we develop design proposals that integrate not only the graphic aspect, but also the technical features that will make the card truly unique.

Technical Choices that Make a Difference

This care extends to production. Our accumulated experience allows us to rigorously advise on the best options among the many finishes and materials available - and it is precisely here that one of the advantages of our service lies.

Personalization that reflects identity

We know all about the multiple possibilities for personalizing cards - and it's this familiarity with materials, textures and effects that allows us to make the most of every detail. From white, transparent or recycled PVC, colored inner layers, cuts for accessibility solutions or vertical orientations, all options are considered strategically so that the end result coherently reflects the brand's image.

Finishes: The Final Touch that Delights

But it's the finishes that give the card its distinctive touch. A localized UV varnish can make a logo stand out with subtle elegance; a rough texture brings dimension and sophistication to the touch; metallic effects add shine and exclusivity; holograms, as well as reinforcing security, capture the eye with unique reflections; aromas can make that special connection with the brand. These are great little details that turn a functional object into a vehicle for emotional communication.

Technology at the Service of Creativity

Thanks to Durable Graphics technology, we are also able to explore alternative customization formats, such as vertical orientations or disruptive layouts, paving the way for bold visual solutions without compromising durability.

Telling a Story on Every Card

It is this integrated approach, combined with in-depth technical knowledge of the materials and finishes available, that allows us to deliver cards that not only fulfill a function, but also tell a story.

A Brief History of Bank Cards: From Paper to Contactless

Bank cards are an essential part of our routine. But have you ever stopped to think about how they have evolved? From the first cards made of paper and metal to modern contactless cards, each stage of history has been marked by advances that have brought more security and convenience to our daily lives. In this article, we'll travel through time and explore how bank cards have evolved and revolutionized the way we handle payments.

The First Steps: Western Union and Diners Club

The history of bank cards begins in 1914, when Western Union created one of the first metal credit cards. It was exclusive to selected customers and allowed them to postpone payments for telegraph services without interest. Although simple, this was the beginning of the "customer card" concept.

Years later, in 1950, the Diners Club Card appeared, the first multi-purpose card, accepted in various establishments. Created by Frank McNamara, the card was born out of an unexpected need: McNamara forgot his wallet during a dinner party and decided to create a solution that would allow him to pay bills without having to rely on cash, which would be charged at the end of the month.

Following on from Diners Club, American Express launched its own credit card in 1958. Although innovative for the time, these cards still relied on manual payment processes and were limited in terms of technology and security.

Embossed Cards and the "Iron Plate"

In the 1950s, the first plastic cards with embossed data appeared. To carry out a transaction, the merchant would place the card in a printer with a carbon paper form and pass a roller over the card, transferring the embossed information to the paper receipt.

This method arrived in Portugal in the 1970s and represented a breakthrough, but it still had limitations, such as slow processing and the impossibility of checking balances in real time.

The Magnetic Strip Revolution

The real technological breakthrough came in 1969 with the creation of the magnetic stripe by Forrest Parry, an IBM engineer. This innovation made it possible to store data directly on the card, speeding up transactions and reducing errors.

In Portugal, magnetic stripe cards began to be used in the 1980s, with the arrival of the Multibanco network. This change not only made payments faster and safer, but also allowed the creation of a network of interconnected banks, facilitating the use of cards throughout the country.

The Leap to Chip: More Security and Functionality

With the increased use of cards, security concerns have arisen. That's where the EMV chip came in.

The EMV chip (an acronym for Europay, Mastercard and Visa, the companies that developed the standard) was a major breakthrough in the sector. Created by Frenchman Roland Moreno in 1974, the chip began to be significantly implemented in bank cards in the 90s. This microprocessor enabled a leap in security by generating a unique code for each transaction, which made card cloning much more difficult.

In addition to security, the chip has brought new features, such as the possibility of carrying out offline transactions in places without a network, especially useful in regions with limited connectivity. The use of PIN as an additional authentication method has further strengthened the security of chip cards, quickly becoming the new global standard.

The large-scale implementation of chip cards in Portugal took place progressively throughout the 1990s, but it was in the early 2000s that chip cards became widely used, especially after the official adoption of the EMV standard for all card transactions.

The Age of Contactless: One-touch convenience

In the last decade, the need for faster and more convenient transactions has led to the development of contactless technology.

Based on NFC (Near Field Communication), contactless allows payment by proximity, without the need to insert the card into the terminal. Simply bring the card close to the reader and the transaction is completed in seconds.

The contactless system was initially viewed with some concern for security reasons, but operators have set limits on PINless transactions, and encryption has become increasingly sophisticated.

Today, contactless is one of the fastest and most widely used payment methods in everyday transactions, facilitating the user experience. It was especially after 2015 that contactless payments gained popularity in Portugal, with an increase in the number of compatible terminals and greater acceptance by consumers.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has significantly accelerated this adoption, as many consumers and merchants have come to prefer contactless transactions to reduce health risks.

What about the future of cards?

The evolution of bank cards is far from over. Technologies such as biometrics and tokenization promise to make payments even more secure and personalized. Although physical cards may give way to digital alternatives, personalization will continue to be an important way of reflecting customers' identity and relationship with banks.

A Story of Transformation and Innovation

The journey of bank cards, from the first metal cards to modern contactless, shows how technology can transform our lives.

At Contisystems, we are proud to be part of this history, developing personalization and card production solutions that keep pace with the needs of a constantly evolving world.

Ready for the future of payments?

Contact us and find out how we can help your company keep up with this revolution.

Durable Technology: Transforming Card Personalization

Durable Graphics technology, available from Contisystems since 2022, is a response to a number of trends and needs. Let's find out a little more about what prompted this option and how it can transform the way cards are personalized, combining durability with creative flexibility.

What trends and needs led to the emergence of Durable?

The trend for vertical cards: In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of cards with a vertical orientation. This change gives issuers greater freedom to create innovative and attractive layouts.

Increased validity: The need to extend the validity of cards, for reasons of efficiency and sustainability, has become a priority. In this context, the durability of personalization is a concern.

International standards: Thermal transfer printing is a widely used technique for personalizing cards. However, to ensure the durability of critical data, the standards of international financial associations require the application of protective layers such as topcoat or overlay. Although effective, these layers can compromise the aesthetics of the card and interfere with holograms, making it difficult for international schemes to approve the design.

External factors that can reduce the useful life of cards:

  • Humidity
  • Contact with creams or alcohol
  • Friction due to repeated use
  • Storage in poorly protected places (such as pockets)
  • Exposure to UV light
  • Abrasion from continuous use

The Solution with Durable Graphics

Durable Graphics technology combines the simplicity of thermal transfer printing with UV application, resulting in extremely durable personalization without the need for additional layers of protection. This innovation not only increases the durability of cards, but also offers extraordinary flexibility in personalization formats, allowing issuers to unleash their creativity.

Advantages of Durable Graphics

1. Versatile customization

Allows personalization on any part of the card, both front and back.

It supports printing in OpenType fonts and even images, making it possible to create a unique stock of differentiated cards just by personalizing them (for example, credit and debit cards or professional and personal cards).

2. Superior print quality

The print quality of Durable Graphics is significantly superior to traditional thermo-printing, reaching up to 600 dpi.

3. Exceptional durability

The application of UV provides superior resistance to external factors such as humidity, friction and exposure to UV light. See below, in the video we've prepared for you, a practical test that proves the resistance of this technology.

Contisystems offer

At Contisystems, we use the Entrust Datacard MX 2100, equipped with the Durable Graphics module, to guarantee maximum durability and quality when personalizing cards. This technology not only meets the durability requirements of the banking sector, but also opens up new possibilities for innovative and personalized designs.

See a test that demonstrates the superior resistance of cards customized with Durable Graphics technology.

Talk to us to find out more about how this technology can benefit your cards and offer customized solutions for your needs.

Loja Merece: A Step Towards Sustainability 

We are pleased to announce the launch of Loja Merece, a new online platform dedicated to products made from recycled waste, with a positive impact on vulnerable communities. 

The Merece project was born out of our commitment to minimize the ecological impact of our activity through the recycling of bank cards, and has already enabled the recycling of more than 10 tons of end-of-life cards and the planting of more than 12,000 trees.  

After three years, we decided to go even further, giving visibility to brands and initiatives that share our values and commitment to sustainability. 

At Loja Merece, each product has a unique story, marked by creativity and innovation, which deserves to be shared.  

Visit loja.merece.pt and discover the stories our products have to tell you.  

Contribute to a Sustainable Future with re-PVC cards

Re-PVC cards are a sustainable innovation in the plastic card sector, made from recycled industrial waste. As well as being indistinguishable from traditional PVC cards, these cards are produced and transported using environmentally friendly processes, resulting in a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

Why should you choose re-PVC cards?

The growing adoption of re-PVC cards in the banking sector is due to their numerous environmental advantages, without compromising the functionality and diversity of personalization options offered by conventional PVC cards.

Lower CO2 footprint

The production processes for re-PVC cards emit less CO2 compared to traditional PVC production methods. The use of industrial waste and local recycling centers to manufacture these cards also reduces the environmental impact of transportation.

Every kilogram of re-PVC produced avoids the emission of approximately 2kg of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Less PVC in landfills

By using recycled waste, re-PVC cards help to preserve natural resources, avoiding the production of new PVC and reducing the amount of PVC disposed of in landfills. The continuous recyclability of this material contributes significantly to environmental sustainability.

Same features as a normal card

In functional terms, the re-PVC card is no different from a normal PVC card. You can use all the payment features of a traditional card. These cards are approved by VISA and Mastercard for Dual Interface and Contactless use.

Extensive printing possibilities

Re-PVC cards allow practically the same personalization options and have the same durability as traditional PVC cards. Techniques such as embossing, infilling and thermal printing can be applied.

How is a re-PVC card made up?

These cards have the same structure as a normal PVC card. The only difference is in the material it is made of.

Image courtesy of Giesecke+Devrient

If you want to know how your card is made up, we have this video for you.

What should you look out for when looking for a re-PVC card supplier?

When looking for re-PVC cards, it is important to consider a few aspects:

100% re-PVC composition

At Contisystems we supply re-PVC cards made from 100% recycled plastic, but not all suppliers are like this. We often find percentages of re-PVC below 90%. Ask your supplier about its composition.

Cards' Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint can vary between suppliers. Some guarantee a manufacturing process with reduced CO2 emissions and even offer compensation to neutralize the carbon footprint of the cards. Even if the manufacturer doesn't have this option, they can opt for programs like Merece for this compensation or do it on their own initiative.

How much do re-PVC cards cost?

The prices of re-PVC cards vary depending on the supplier, but within the sustainable options, re-PVC cards are also an economical choice. The mass production of this material has reduced its costs, making it competitive with traditional PVC cards.

In recent years, more and more environmentally friendly materials and customization options have emerged. With growing demand, these options are becoming more and more affordable and the impact of these choices on the environment is incalculable.

When choosing your next card, there's no excuse not to choose an environmentally friendly option.

Contisystems provides Bankinter with an inclusive and sustainable debit card

As part of its commitment to sustainability and social inclusion, Bankinter Portugal has launched a card made from 100% recycled PVC, personalized in Braille, for its visually impaired customers.

This card, supplied by Contisystems, ensures a smaller ecological footprint and takes advantage of a set of technical and procedural means that we have put together to make braille printing and a half-moon side cut possible. Designed in collaboration with the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Portugal (ACAPO), this card enables visually impaired citizens to use their bank cards more autonomously, improving their experience in a simple and practical way, while maintaining their privacy and guaranteeing their security.

We recognize the crucial importance of using recycled materials to reduce the industry's environmental impact and for some years now we have been promoting the use of materials such as recycled PVC to our customers (see more on this topic here: Contribute to a greener future with re-PVC cards - Contisystems).

Since 2023, we have made it possible for our customers to personalize their cards in braille, as a way of providing equal technological facilities and promoting individual autonomy for visually impaired bank customers (see more on this topic here: Braille card personalization - Contisystems).

With the launch of this inclusive and sustainable debit card, together with Bankinter Portugal, we are building a better, fairer, more inclusive and sustainable future.

The bank card as a second authentication factor

One factor is no longer enough

In a world where crime is increasingly concentrated in the digital realm, the password model is no longer enough. Progressively, whether voluntarily or due to the imposition of partners or regulations, the adoption of multiple authentication factors has become widespread. Whether it's changing equipment, activating a card, authorizing larger transactions, accessing confidential data or any other action that requires greater security, the adoption of multiple authentication factors is essential.

Two factors... but which ones?

Authentication factors can include possession (something I have), knowledge (something I know) and identity (something I am). Since identity recognition currently poses many challenges in terms of technology and data privacy, the most common solutions have involved factors associated with possession and knowledge. To this end, the following additional authentication factors are common when using the mobile app:

  • SMS OTP (One Time Password): this is a security factor considered obsolete by NIST - the American Institute for Standards and Technology.
  • App Token: solution with poor usability as it requires the use of two apps at the same time and poor security because often both apps are on the same device, reducing the user experience when making banking transactions
  • Matrix card: high-cost solution (maintenance of cards and everything involved in their management and postage costs) and poor usability as it requires the use of an additional card

I received an SMS from my bank...

This is a common expression in many consumer complaints.

The degree of sophistication of online fraud in stealing credentials and even receiving OTPs makes it very difficult to distinguish a fraud scheme from a real experience with the bank. While there used to be some clues that made it easier to identify fraudulent schemes, nowadays SMS appear integrated into previous conversations with banks, web pages are replicas of official sites, texts are carefully written in correct Portuguese and consumers' fast-paced daily lives often make them drop their guard when faced with authentication requests.

The card is better than SMS

The bank card that every user already has can be a secure authentication solution (PSD2: proof of possession) with hardware that the customer already has in their possession. The card, with the familiar bank branding, is in the user's wallet every day and is often used for contactless payments.

By touching this card to a cell phone for a few seconds, using NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, you can authenticate yourself. NFC is a technology that allows two devices to communicate when they are close together, usually within a few centimeters. In this case, since the bank card is already equipped with an NFC antenna, when you touch the cell phone, the NFC reader reads the information on the card and sends it to the bank's application for authentication.

This method avoids the use of one-time passwords (OTP) sent by SMS or, for example, the verification of master card numbers. As well as being more secure, since it requires the possession of an active physical card, it is more convenient, eliminating the need to enter a code manually. In addition, it is easy to use, with an object already familiar to the user and the bank's trust mark, the authentication process is very fast as the card information is read and transmitted quickly.

This type of authentication can be used to formalize the process of changing mobile equipment, to securely authorize transactions and prevent unauthorized access to confidential information, among many other use cases.

The future that is present

This is a working solution which, in practice, translates into an SDK (Software Development Kit) that can be integrated into the bank's current application. With this feature, the cell phone recognizes the card and requires it as an authentication factor. Currently available for Android, it is not yet possible to use it on an iPhone, as Apple does not provide access to NFC for other entities for the purposes of financial transactions. However, it is expected that this issue will soon be overcome and this type of solution will be available for all NFC-equipped devices.

Find out about the options available from your payment solutions partner.

Personalization of Braille cards

We are proud to share that we have put together a set of technical and procedural means that will allow our customers (bank and non-bank) to have the personalization of their cards printed in Braille.

There are over twenty thousand blind people in Portugal. However, the issue of accessibility goes far beyond numbers. Giving everyone the possibility of a day-to-day life without obstacles, providing equal technological facilities and promoting individual autonomy is what drives us.

Technically, when it comes to bank cards, the application of braille personalization brings some challenges in terms of the integrity of the antenna that allows contactless use. However, these challenges have been overcome by the processes and technology we employ.

Since braille characters are larger than normal characters, it is practically impossible to put all the information (card number, CVV, expiry date or other) on the card in braille. In addition, because braille personalization is carried out by impacting the surface of the card, it can damage the contactless antenna. Therefore, as a solution, we propose the use of two cards:

Card for use in person

With all the technological options of an EMV Contactless card (magnetic stripe, chip and antenna) that allow it to be used in vending machines and POS, this card has information about its type (debit, credit or other) and card number printed in braille. Additional information is printed on the back in standard characters, which can be larger than usual.

Card for use with online purchases

It has all the necessary information for online purchases (card number, name, expiry date and CVV) printed in Braille. This is possible because there aren't so many space restrictions, since this card doesn't have any technology built in (antenna, band or chip), it's just informative.

In addition to the cards, we are rapidly equipping our production area with the necessary machines to print cardmail or terms and conditions in Braille. This way, all the information on the card can also be understood without having to rely on third parties.

In addition to Braille printing, we have long recommended the use of cards with cut-outs to help customers identify the position of the card to insert into ATMs more quickly. This will be another opportunity to reinforce this point.

We are counting on our customers to help us apply this possibility and give all their end consumers the same autonomy in accessing all the features.

The technology that is changing the way cards are made!

Continuing its commitment to Payment Solutions, Contisystems has invested in a new machine. The new Entrust Datacard MX 2100 joins the existing fleet of machines with an innovative module - Durable Graphics!

We have seen a significant increase in the number of cards with a vertical orientation, which gives issuers greater creative flexibility in terms of layouts. At the same time, we know that, for reasons of efficiency and even sustainability, the card's shelf life has been increasing. It was in the search for a personalization option that ensures format flexibility and durability that we came up with Durable Graphics.

Thermal transfer printing is used on billions of cards worldwide. However, in the case of critical personalization data, the standards of international financial associations require the use of a protective layer (topcoat or overlay) to ensure durability. The problem is that this layer often compromises the aesthetics of the card and even nullifies the reflection of the holograms, which has implications for the approval of the design by international schemes.

The typical card, whether it's a bank card or not, is subject to a wide range of external factors that can reduce its useful life: humidity, contact with creams or alcohol, friction from repeated use or storage in unprotected places (e.g. pockets), exposure to UV light, abrasion from repeated use or from being stored in an exposed position, among many others.

Durable Graphics technology combines the simplicity of thermal transfer printing with UV application to achieve a high level of durability without applying layers of protection. This type of personalization is durable, in line with the values sought by the banking sector, and gives enormous flexibility in personalization formats, opening the door to the customer's creativity.

In short, Durable Graphics brings the following new features:

  • Allows personalization anywhere on the card, front or back
  • Allows printing in OpenType fonts and even images (for example, there could be a single card stock, differentiating between credit and debit or professional and personal through personalization).
  • It has a much higher print quality than traditional thermo-printing (600 dpis)

It should also be noted that this machine, as well as the others that make up Contisystems' personalization fleet, minimize human intervention as much as possible in order to avoid matching errors and ensure total security and confidentiality.

Find out more and make the best decision for your cards.