Martin Ferenczi, president at Oberthur Technologies, says uncertainty is part of doing business and the response is to listen to customers. Most of the doubt is surrounding whether the payments industry will go with EMV or contactless systems. “We cannot eliminate uncertainty,” Ferenczi says. “If they want convenience we’ll give them a contactless card, if they want security well give them an EMV card if they want both we’ll give them both.”

As for contactless technology, has it stalled in the U.S.? What’s needed to get it over the hump?

Christian Juettner, group vice president at Giesecke & Devrient, says between 50 and 60 million contactless cards will be issued in the U.S. this year. And while it’s becoming more popular the problem is many consumers don’t even know they have the cards and the merchants that have the readers don’t train their staff to know how the technology works. “What’s missing is marketing and making the customer aware,” he says.

Also discusses is whether the industry needs to come up with new terminology to describe itself. Smart card and contactless technology are two of the main terms bandied about, but is it time to move away?

Neville Pattinson, director of government affairs and marketing for the identity and security at Gemalto, says it is time to come up with new terms. “We are in the realm of secure digital devices,” he says. “Smart card conjures up a specific form factor.”