With the increasing application of smart card in different industrial sectors and rising awareness about its benefits, the global smart card market has witnessed continuous growth over the past few years. The telecom sector uses the highest number of smart cards in the form of SIM cards as the penetration of mobile phones increases globally. Moreover, the application of smart cards in other industrial sectors like transportation, public sector and financial services also surges owing to the benefits of high storage capacity, faster processing speed and increasing security concerns.

According to our new research report “Smart Card Market Forecast to 2012”, the global shipment of smart cards is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 11% during 2009-2013 to around 8.5 Billion Units by 2013 from 5.5 Billion Units. The number of smart card projects has been increasing at a rapid pace worldwide, signifying the flexibility and robustness of the technology.  Additionally, the shift in liability associated with EMV (Euro pay, MasterCard & VISA) standard is driving many banks to issue smart cards.

Our report has found that the EMEA region will represent the major share of smart card industry by the end of 2013. The European countries like Spain and Germany will witness a sharp rise in smart card usage in the transportation sector, which will grow at a CAGR of approximately 13% during 2011-2013 worldwide. Besides, the shipment of smart cards in Americas will increase on the back of government initiatives to introduce smart cards in various industrial segments.

The report has also revealed that the smart card technology will give boost to the online payment transaction market as it allows customers to make reliable and secure transaction. For instance - the shipment of microprocessor contactless smart cards is expected to grow at CAGR of around 24% during the forecast period. Besides, the microprocessor smart cards will continue to hold the majority of smart card shipment worldwide. By 2009, this segment shipped around 4.5 Billion smart cards worldwide, up by approximately 7% over 2008.

The report provides an extensive research and prudent analysis of the global smart card industry. It gives an insight into the current market trends, industry drivers and challenges to understand the market structure. The report has segregated the smart card industry in terms of applications and technology. The key players section of the report throws light on their business profile, strength, weakness and market strategies.