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…
Building Momentum: How ICMA Helps Card Industry Professionals Grow, Lead and Shape the Future
In today’s rapidly evolving card industry—where physical and digital technologies intersect and security, sustainability and innovation are top priorities—professional development has never mattered more. Companies need high-performing teams…
Why Knowledge Transfer Matters in Payment Card Personalization
In the payment card manufacturing and personalization ecosystem, technology understandably receives much attention. Chip encoding platforms, key management systems, data preparation engines and machine connectivity solutions have all…
The Premium Card Experience Evolves
As card markets mature and digital payment methods proliferate, one question stands out: How can physical cards remain relevant, desirable and essential? At this year’s CardTREX, hosted at the Otto Künnecke Group’s create:hub in Holzminden, industry leaders explored…
Rethinking Material Impact: Advancing Circularity with PLA and Recycled PLA
As card manufacturers look toward a more sustainable and circular future, the conversation around material innovation is gaining urgency. One polymer attracting growing attention is polylactic acid (PLA)—a…
Safeguarding the Future of Security Printing: The Strategic Advantage of Intergraf Certification
In an era defined by globalized supply chains, digital convergence and ever-evolving security threats, card manufacturers and personalizers play a crucial role in maintaining public trust. Whether producing…
ICMA and TRUSTECH 2025: Strengthening Synergies in Payments and Identification
The International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) is proud to strengthen its partnership with TRUSTECH, the world's leading event dedicated to innovative payment and identification solutions. As the card…
Why the World Wants Metal Cards: A Deep Dive into Consumer Personas
Once reserved for the financial elite, metal payment cards are now on the rise across markets worldwide. They’ve evolved into symbols of identity, exclusivity and innovation—bridging physical design…