IDEMIA Secure Transactions Turns One: Shaping the Future of Payments and Connectivity

Founded in January 2024, the IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) division of IDEMIA Group is a world leader in payment and connectivity solutions leveraging its remarkable cryptography expertise. Every day, the division is supporting its 2 400 clients in reinventing the way billions of citizens around the world pay and connect.

Taking the helm of IDEMIA Secure Transactions this year has been both an honour and a privilege. 2024 has been a transformative chapter thanks to the dedication of our 10,000 employees, marked by groundbreaking advancements on all our markets. This is the testimony of our strategic investments in bringing the best of digital innovation, postquantum, generative AI, cloud-based platforms, and advanced encryption to market. These achievements embody our unwavering commitment to driving customer-centric, secure and more sustainable solutions that not only meet today’s challenges but also shape the future of payments and connectivity. I’m incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made and the foundation we’re building for continued leadership in our industry.
Philippe OLIVA, CEO at IDEMIA Secure Transactions

Leading the Way in Cryptography

As quantum computing edges closer to reality, the urgency to protect sensitive transactions and data has never been greater. This year, IST positioned itself as a front-runner in the quantum-safe revolution. In April, IST unveiled the world’s first crypto-agility solution, enabling its technologies to adapt in real time to new quantum threats. Building on its expertise, IST partnered with telecommunications leader Telefónica to develop quantum-computer resilient IoT solutions. Later that year, IST announced that it had created the Hyperform consortium with seven other French cybersecurity leaders. Financed by the France 2030 funding plan, this consortium produces cryptographic technologies capable of protecting sensitive data from the quantum threat.

On top of it, IDEMIA Secure Transactions has announced that it has carried out the world’s first offline CBDC payment transaction resistant to quantum computing, paving the way for ever more secure payments for all, being a crucial milestone for future-proofing digital currencies.

Transforming Payment and Connectivity for Best

IST has consistently placed its customers and their end users at the heart of its innovations, redefining expectations in payments and connectivity.

This year, IST’s global 2024 payment survey unveiled key consumer preferences, from personalized card designs, like metal and lightning cards, to sustainable materials. It highlighted the growing demand for innovation in the sector and the need to combine the best from the physical and digital worlds when it comes to payment. Attuned to the preferences of its consumers, IST remains steadfast in its commitment to offer innovative services tailored to individual needs, while embracing the rapid advancements of the digital realm.

IDEMIA Secure Transactions also reinforced its leadership in the Automotive industry by becoming for example the first company in the world to receive the NFC Forum certification for its automotive Near Field Communication (NFC) Key Cards.

With the anticipated rise in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connections to foster digital inclusion and expand internet access in the coming years, IDEMIA Secure Transactions and Vantiva collaborated to propel 5G-powered internet access with advanced eSIM technology. The aim is to provide robust, high-speed internet and TV services, transforming the broadband landscape for residential and business customers.

Strengthening the European Value Chain

In October 2024, IST has confirmed its position as a leading industrial player by investing more than €20 million in a new state-of-the-art infrastructure in Vitré (France). The new site, which employs 500 people, enables IST to increase its production capacity and meet growing demand in the payments, connectivity and automotive markets.

At the same time, IST announced that its new facility is the cornerstone of its commitment to become the world’s first to propose a 100% European Value Chain for advanced smart card by 2026, through a new partnership with GlobalFoundries, one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers.

Innovation for Good

In its first year, IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) has consistently pushed for sustainability and inclusion, aligning innovation with a positive societal impact. From launching the world’s first bamboo-based transportation smartcard in Los Angeles to deploying at scale recycled PVC SIM cards in collaboration with Airtel in India, IST contributes to reduce the environmental footprint of its clients.

IST has also taken a pioneering role in promoting financial inclusion and social equity. By launching Saudi Arabia’s first braille-printed cards, IST has enabled visually impaired individuals to participate more fully in the financial ecosystem. Additionally, with the launch of GREENPAY Wallet, IST has supported banks and their customers in regenerative sustainability efforts, investing in projects that combat biodiversity loss, improve waste management, and foster social equity.

Together, these achievements underscore IST’s mission to create innovative solutions to have a positive impact on our society.

Key figures

• €1.5 billion in revenues by 2023, more than 50% of Group sales
• 10,000 employees in 50+ countries
• 2,400+ customers in 150+ countries
• 56 Net Promoter Score rating in 2024
• More than 800 R&D engineers
• 6 factories worldwide and over 30 service centers on every continent
• More than 700 million payment cards produced and shipped every year
• More than 1.6 billion physical identifiers issued every year
• More than 55 million connected cars worldwide
• More than 400 million digital tokens provisioned for various players, including leading mobile wallet providers (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay).