The increasing impact of instant card issuance

People have groceries to pick up, bills to pay. When a card is lost, stolen or compromised, getting a new one as quickly as possible – and moving on with life – is all that matters. Issuers are meeting this need for immediacy by using technology to hand over cards in a matter of minutes.

For many financial institutions, instant in-branch card issuance complements central card issuance – mailed cards – enabling consumers to walk out of a branch with an activated debit or credit card, including EMV™ chip cards. Among debit card users who received a new card in the last year, 1 in 5 picked up their card in a branch, according to new research from Fiserv.

What’s fueling this trend? Increased data compromises and incidences of identity theft have necessitated unscheduled card reissuances. At the same time, financial institutions are turning to instant issuance to stay ahead of the demand caused by the ongoing migration to EMV technology. Instant issuance gives consumers immediate access to the enhanced technology and security capabilities of EMV.

continue reading »