Finnish smart card company Setec has won the international tender to supply new chip-based debit and credit cards to the three leading Estonian banks Eesti Uhispank, Hansapank and AS Sampo Pank.
The first phase of the agreement entails the supply of more than 100,000 cards in early 2003. The banks have a combined share of more than 90 per cent of the Estonian banking market and approximately one million debit and credit card customers in total.
Estonia aims to completely replace the existing cards with EMV cards by 2005.
Seperately, Setec has concluded an agreement to integrates its smart card platforms with CardBase Technologies' multi-application management software Mascot.
The companies have signed a partnership agreement and say the integrated package will provide a comprehensive solution for banks migrating to EMV for the 2005 deadline and for PKI security cards, GSM SIM cards and visual ID products.