What types of smart cards are there?

Contact chip cards, which can be used to read or write data, are a widely used type of card. Classically, memory cards are used for applications where storage is the primary requirement. This is the case, for example, with health insurance cards in the healthcare sector.

Contact smart cards contrast with contactless RFID smart cards, where the data interface can be read and written without direct physical contact.

Memory chips hold between 256 bytes and 64 kBytes of data. Some chip types have additional write protection and are thus also suitable for simple bonus or prepaid solutions.

Processor chips have a processor that can be used to access the chip's data. This means that the data can be processed, securely encrypted and made available for various applications. The advantage of the possible integration of specific program solutions within the microprocessors supports their use as bank cards or SIM cards, for example.