The ICMA Élan Awards of Excellence continue to celebrate the creativity, craftsmanship and technical innovation that define the global card manufacturing industry. For the second year in Élan Awards history, ICMA recognized Best Overall Card by Region, honoring standout achievements across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Judged by ICMA leaders Dori Rombola, ACE-M, ACE-P, ACE-A, of Infineon Technologies; Brian Summerhayes, ACE-P, of Barnes International and Joël Besnier of BG INGENIERIE, this award category highlights the diversity and sophistication shaping card design and manufacturing around the world. After reviewing 181 entries, the judges selected three regional winners that represent excellence in material selection, engineering, security, personalization and visual impact.
This year’s North American regional winner was especially notable, with judges recognizing it as one of the highest-scoring cards the association has seen in the past decade.
North America: CompoSecure Inc. for Bilt
CompoSecure Inc. earned the Best Overall Card by Region honor for North America with its Bilt card, a metal card that brings a fresh, architectural design language to everyday payments.
The Bilt card features a sleek monochrome aesthetic accented by sharp typographic elements, creating a look that is confident, modern and immediately recognizable. Constructed from durable metal and finished with advanced printing techniques, the card balances style with substance, turning routine transactions into moments of design impact.
According to Jesper Domargård, Marketing Director at CompoSecure, the card was entered because it represents what is possible when strong design vision is paired with advanced metal card manufacturing capabilities.
“Its design really is groundbreaking,” Domargård said. “And it showcases all the amazing possibilities that can be done with a metal card design from a player like CompoSecure, who possesses the necessary equipment, expertise and skillset to facilitate card designs through a range of significant techniques tailored for specific card types.”
Domargård said the Bilt card also reflects the strength of CompoSecure’s card design team, whose work helps bring customer concepts to life while expanding what issuers may envision for their card programs.
“This card has been possible thanks to our card design team, which is comprised of top-tier experts, not only bringing our customers’ initial ideas to life but also expanding horizons and unveiling possibilities beyond imagination,” he said.
For CompoSecure, winning the overall North American regional category was a meaningful recognition of both the company’s technical capabilities and its continued leadership in the metal card market.
“We are very proud that CompoSecure won this category,” Domargård said. “Congratulations to the full CompoSecure team as we continue to show our strength as the leading metal card manufacturer, and a special thank you to our customers for bringing these projects to life with us.”
Europe: IDEMIA Secure Transactions for the sAxess Card x Neiro for Serenity
The European regional honor went to IDEMIA Secure Transactions for the Limited Edition sAxess x Neiro card for Serenity. Launched in 2025, the limited-edition card builds on the sAxess Biometric Card introduced the previous year.
The sAxess card is a high-security, self-custody blockchain wallet developed by s.Technology in partnership with IDEMIA Secure Transactions and based on IST’s B.CHAIN technology. It provides biometric-only access to crypto and digital assets, eliminating passwords and external login mechanisms.
The card combines on-card fingerprint authentication with deep blockchain integration, enabling secure asset management, identity verification and credential recovery. Key features include biometric-only access, support for more than 100 blockchains, seed phrase management through sBox integration and self-custody storage with cold-storage security.
The limited-edition collaboration with Neiro also adds a cultural and philanthropic element to the card. Neiro is a dog-themed meme coin inspired by a real-life Shiba Inu, and $25 from each $100 limited-edition card sold is donated toward animal shelter.
Asia Pacific: Giesecke+Devrient (China) Technologies Co., Ltd. for the Ceramic Card for ICBC Asia
Giesecke+Devrient (China) Technologies Co., Ltd. received the Asia Pacific regional honor for the Ceramic Card for ICBC Asia, a premium payment card designed for private banking clients.
Crafted from black ceramic, the card offers a refined tactile experience while delivering exceptional durability and resistance to wear. Its design is centered on a series of symmetrical concentric circles, realized through a specialized engraved frosted electroplating process developed specifically for ceramic card manufacturing.
“We entered the ICBC Asia Essence Ceramic Card into this competition to showcase our capabilities in material research and development and exquisite craftsmanship,” said Xiao Wei, Managing Director of Giesecke+Devrient (China) Technologies. “Made of premium black ceramic, the card features dual gold and silver rings with frosted electroplating, which symbolize everlasting wealth. Notably, this is the world’s first Visa-branded ceramic card, setting a new benchmark in the Asian banking industry.”
With its minimalist visual language and precise pairing of material and craftsmanship, the Ceramic Card for ICBC Asia reflects the prestige, exclusivity and restrained elegance expected of a high-end private banking product.
“We are greatly honored to win this prestigious Élan Award presented by ICMA,” Wei said. “Meanwhile, we have gained insights into the latest industry trends and identified key innovation directions throughout the competition, which sets a clear path for us to promote our products and services across the Asia Pacific region in the future.”
Wei continued, “As a security technology enterprise, we always uphold security as our fundamental principle while pursuing continuous innovation. This award encourages us to keep exploring new materials and cutting-edge technologies. Moving forward, we will continue to deliver high-quality, innovative products and services to our partners across the region.”
Celebrating Global Innovation
Together, this year’s regional winners demonstrate the breadth of innovation taking place across the global card industry. From black-mirror metal and biometric blockchain security to premium ceramic craftsmanship, each winning card reflects the continued evolution of cards as secure, functional and highly expressive products.
The Élan Awards of Excellence remain a powerful showcase for the companies pushing the boundaries of what cards can achieve through design, technology, materials and manufacturing excellence.
Why ICMA Membership Matters
ICMA remains committed to empowering the global card manufacturing community by helping members lead, innovate and grow. Through a strategic combination of industry marketing support and professional development, ICMA equips organizations and individuals with the tools they need to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
ICMA’s professional development programs are designed to strengthen both technical expertise and leadership capability. Offerings such as on-demand Advanced Card Education (ACE) and the Card Industry Training & Education (CITE) initiative help professionals deepen their knowledge, while flagship events like the EXPO and CardTREX bring together industry leaders to learn, connect and explore emerging innovations.
Members who engage in ICMA’s education programs and events don’t just keep pace with change—they help shape it. From contributing thought leadership to Card Manufacturing magazine to earning industry recognition through the Élan Awards of Excellence, ICMA provides meaningful opportunities for members to elevate their visibility and influence.
For card industry professionals seeking to stay informed, connected and future-ready, ICMA offers a clear path forward through education, exposure and community.
Discover the full value of ICMA membership and join a global network of professionals advancing the card industry.