Securing Gift Card Activation for the Era of Organized Fraud
Gift card fraud has evolved far beyond opportunistic tampering. Today, organized fraud schemes are exploiting structural weaknesses in how many gift cards are activated at the point of…
Navigating the Sustainability Maze: A More Informed Approach to Card Body Materials
Sustainability is one of the most important conversations shaping the future of card manufacturing. But as more material options enter the market, from recycled polymers to biobased alternatives and compostable substrates,…
Hengbao Wins ICMA People’s Choice Award for Zheshang Bank ‘Zhefu’ Card
ICMA’s Élan Awards of Excellence celebrate the innovation, craftsmanship and technical excellence shaping the global card manufacturing and personalization industry. Each year, ICMA members from around the world submit entries into a variety of categories, with most…
Metal for All: How Personalization Is Expanding the Metal Card Market
Metal cards have long been associated with premium banking products, exclusive customer segments and high-status payment experiences. But at the 2026 ICMA EXPO, ICMA member Daniel Calio, NORAM Sales at IDEMIA Secure Transactions,…
Securing Physical Credentials in a Deepfake-Driven World
As identity threats become more sophisticated, physical credentials are being challenged to do more than simply prove possession. Today’s cards, IDs and access credentials must operate in an environment shaped by generative…
Why Flat Cards Are Becoming the New Standard for Modern Issuers
The shift from embossed to flat cards is no longer just a design trend. Across the global card industry, flat cards are becoming a strategic choice for issuers…
Beyond the Lanyard: How G+D Is Redefining What a Badge Can Say About the Future of Payments
Every attendee at ICMA EXPO wears a badge. For most, it is simply part of the event experience, a practical credential that grants access and helps spark introductions. But for Giesecke+Devrient, the…
From Stockades to Smartphones: Why the Card Bureau Is Becoming an Exchange
“In 1653, a 12-foot wooden wall protected New Amsterdam’s assets,” says David Anderson, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Karta Gift Cards. “That wall became Wall Street. Today, we are making an…
The Metal Card Revolution in Web3/Crypto Payments
Web3 was built to be borderless, digital-first and always-on. So why are some of the most crypto-native brands—MetaMask, Gemini and Coinbase—going in the opposite direction with something undeniably…
ICMA Launches On-Demand ACE-M Training for the Global Card Industry
Card manufacturing and personalization/fulfillment are unforgiving disciplines. The work is highly specialized, quality expectations are exacting and small upstream decisions can create costly downstream consequences. As competition intensifies, the demand…