The test framework will verify that these products meet robust security requirements, international industry standards and achieve global market interoperability.

Using its expertise as an approved laboratory and test tool provider for the payments industry, FIME prepared a contactless D-PAS test specification for both chip-based payment cards and acceptance terminals. This technical document then formed the basis of FIME's work to develop and launch a customised test plan and test tool, which will be used by FIME's laboratories, product developers and acquiring banks to confirm that Discover contactless products perform as intended once launched.

Troy Bernard, Director and Global Head of Mobile & EMV Products at Discover, comments: "By aligning products to EMV®, we can establish a secure-chip infrastructure for innovative payments solutions such as contactless and, in the future, mobile payments. Testing solutions in a uniformed manner and to the highest standard confirms the integrity of new products entering the market, which is vital to achieving user trust and engagement. We are pleased to be working with FIME to establish a testing environment for our contactless D-PAS products."

Xavier Giandominici, Director at FIME America, adds: "FIME has worked within the secure-chip payments industry for over a decade, and we are delighted to share our knowledge as it brings EMV contactless payments to market. Our end-to-end testing framework effectively delivers a robust programme that will inspire stakeholder confidence in the contactless products available. We look forward to continuing to build on this activity with the testing requirements needed to verify the integrity of mobile payment solutions."