ST works with mobile payment partners to develop a one-stop pre-certified wearable device solution

     With instantly available mobile payment solutions, mobile payment is likely to become a mainstream application on wearable devices such as smartwatches. STMicroelectronics, a leading global semiconductor supplier across multiple electronic applications, provides the secure hardware technology for this one-stop payment solution.

     STMicroelectronics, in collaboration with software vendors G&D and FitPay, has developed the first certified hardware and software security solution on stmicroelectronics' security chips for device vendors planning to integrate with Mastercard or Visa's tokenized payment services. This collaboration can reduce the well-known limitations of implementing card payment capabilities on mobile devices, allowing wearables Oems to focus on product development. The solution gives end users the flexibility to bundle financial cards issued by multiple banks and different payment networks on their wearable devices, simplifying contactless payments regardless of the device's operating system.

     The solution includes a secure operating system (G&D) for mobile payment applications, payment application management software (FitPay) and hardware chips, with ST's ST54E security chip (Embedded Security Unit eSE) being the core component of the reference design, which handles encryption operations and anti-tamper mechanisms.

     STMicroelectronics' product portfolio is very rich and can meet the full functional needs of mobile payment devices. In addition to the security unit ST54E, the reference design includes the STS39230 NFC booster chip, LIS2DS12 MEMS acceleration sensor, Bluetooth® Smart Bluetooth chip, USB charger, and ultra-low power microcontrollers from ST's STM32L4 product line. The STS39230 NFC booster supports contactless connection between the wearable device and the payment terminal, allowing the use of smaller antennas; The LIS2DS12 MEMS accelerometer enables payment gesture control.

     Michael Orlando, CEO of FitPay, said: "Wearables are disrupting people's payment experience, and FitPay, ST and G&D are making it easier for wearables to make mobile payments. St's reference design presents a total mobile payment solution for device manufacturers."

     Axel Deininger, Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise Security /OEM Business Unit at G&D, said: "G&D's mobile payment solutions are commercially proven to support mobile payments at contactless business outlets around the world. This reference design, which we developed in collaboration with ST and FitPay, removes a major barrier to mobile payment applications and gives customers around the world the freedom to use mobile payment services."

     Kiki Del Valle, senior vice president of Smart Hardware Commercial at Mastercard, said: "Our vision is to bring secure payment capabilities to a new generation of end products, providing customers around the world with innovative payment options. Mastercard has created a technical standard to promote secure contactless and embedded payments worldwide, and ST and its partners have used our payment tagging service to develop a powerful intelligent solution that overcomes the technical challenges of mobile payments. Enable wearables manufacturers to integrate secure and trusted mobile payment capabilities into their products."

     Avin Arumugam, senior vice president of iot at Visa, said: "As the mobile payment market continues to grow, device vendors are demanding simpler design for secure transaction connectivity. The solution developed by ST and its partners isa key step in enabling Visa's non-connected payments in entirely new iot devices."

     Laurent Degauque, Marketing Director, Secure MicroControllers Product Division, STMicroelectronics, said: "The market has been waiting for a one-stop reference design to dramatically simplify the way Oems interact with the payment ecosystem, and this solution fits that bill. This reference design contains all the components needed to develop a mobile payment wearable device that makes mobile payments ubiquitous, simple and secure."