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…
Cards Hold Their Ground: Study Shows They’re Still How We Pay
It’s in the Cards: Assessing How People Today Prefer to Pay, a new global white paper from International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) member IDEMIA Secure Transactions, reveals that…
Regional Excellence Takes Center Stage at the 2025 Élan Awards
For the first time in Élan Awards history, a new honor was introduced in 2025: Best Overall Card by Region, recognizing standout achievements in card design and manufacturing…
ID Cards: From Utility to Innovation
At their core, ID cards serve a basic yet vital function: verifying a person’s identity. But in 2025, the way that function is achieved has expanded dramatically. Thanks…