Proton World and the KBC Bank have signed an agreement licensing KBC Bank to implement the Proton Prisma multi-application smart card technology in a number of its associated banks in Europe.
As a group, they opted for a single secure chip card platform, i.e. the end-to-end high-security multi-application system, Proton Prisma, developed by Proton World.
In an initial phase, the agreement will involve KBC subsidiaries: ÈSOB Bank, Czech Republic (with branches in the Slovak Republic), Kereskedelmi es Hitelbank (K&H) in Hungary, and the Poland-based Kredytbank, which also has branches in Lithuania and a subsidiary in Ukraine. The agreement also provides for possible implementations of Proton Prisma technology by other KBC associated companies.
KBC’s associated companies will issue the Proton Prisma smart cards primarily for use with EMV PLUS, Proton World’s credit/debit application. They will start the project immediately after the agreement is signed in order to be able to issue the first EMVPLUS credit/debit cards during 2002 as part of the banks’ EMV migration plan.
“KBC was involved in the launch of the Belgian e-purse, the first application of Proton, as far back as 1995. We are pleased that our long-standing relationship with KBC Bank has resulted in KBC's endorsement of the flexibility, security and comprehensiveness of Proton Prisma, the second generation of Proton technology, at a time when its affiliates are deciding on their chip card migration programme”, says Armand Linkens, CEO of Proton World and ERG Group Managing Director for the EMEA region.
“Proton World's continued dedication to research has kept it at the leading edge of secure smart card application development, safeguarding the smart card investments of KBC Bank, its affiliates and customers."
