IDEX Biometrics

What IDEX Biometrics does

IDEX Biometrics ASA is a Norwegian public company (Oslo Børs: IDXAF) that designs and sells fingerprint-authentication technology embedded in smart cards. Its portfolio centers on two core products — the Biometric Access Card (physical and digital access control) and the Biometric Payment Card (Visa- and Mastercard-certified) — built on a capacitive fingerprint sensor, an EAL6+-certified on-card secure element, and FIDO2 protocol support. Verification is performed entirely on the card; biometric templates never leave the device and are not stored in cloud or central databases, positioning the products as offline-grade, GDPR-by-design alternatives to mobile authenticators. Supporting offerings include standalone fingerprint sensors and modules sold to integrators, an IDEX Card mobile app for enrollment (iOS/Android), and an online configuration tool for custom quotes.

The company generates revenue primarily through hardware sales of cards, sensors, and modules, supplemented by professional services for enterprise deployment, with quote-based unit pricing and multi-year contracts. It serves banks and card issuers (e.g., LIFE CARD in Japan, Eastern Bank Limited in Bangladesh, Hitachi Payment Services and Airtel Payments Bank for India's first RuPay biometric card), enterprises and government entities (notably a Norwegian public authority access-card supply agreement, and a Zero Trust partnership with Saviynt), and system integrators/distributors across Europe, APAC, and North America. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales with channel partners and ecosystem alliances with payment networks and access-control credential platforms (MIFARE DESFire, HID Seos, Legic).

IDEX is in a pre-commercial scaling phase, having reported FY2025 revenue of US$254,000 and Q4 2025 revenue of US$69,000 against a record Q1 2026 order backlog of NOK 23.4 million. Since 2023 the company has funded operations through a series of private placements (totaling tens of millions of NOK) and insider support from CEO Anders Storbråten and major shareholder Robert Keith. In March 2026 Kjell-Arne Besseberg succeeded Storbråten as CEO to drive commercialization, while the company holds over 254 patents and patent applications globally and most recently achieved FIDO2 certification.

Name

IDEX Biometrics

Legal name

IDEX Biometrics ASA

Website

https://idexbiometrics.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IDEX Biometrics ASA is a Norwegian public company that designs fingerprint-authentication smart cards (access and payment) with on-card processing, EAL6+ secure elements, and FIDO2 support, selling to banks, enterprises, governments, and integrators globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biometric Authentication Smart Cards

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Verification & Risk Signals (Device Fingerprinting, Behavioral Biometrics) (HDADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Identity Verification & Proofing (IDV, KYC, Biometrics) (HDADAAAF), Identity Verification (IDV) & Document Verification (FSAMALAE)

Keywords

• Biometric smart cards
• Fingerprint authentication
• Biometric payment cards
• Access control solutions
• Biometric sensor modules

Headquarters

HQ city

Fornebu

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Biometric Access Cards: Sale of smart cards with embedded fingerprint sensors for physical and digital access control. Cards are sold to enterprises, government entities, and organizations for employee/contractor authentication and access management.
2. Biometric Payment Cards: Sale of payment cards with fingerprint authentication, certified by Visa and Mastercard. Sold to banks and card issuers for deployment to end consumers.
3. Fingerprint Sensors and Components: Sale of fingerprint sensors and modules to partners and customers integrating biometric capabilities into their card programs.
4. Professional Services: Integration, deployment support, and customization services potentially offered alongside product sales for enterprise deployments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IDEX Biometrics designs, develops, and sells fingerprint sensor-based biometric smart cards for secure access control and payments. Its core offerings are the Biometric Access Card (unifying physical door access and FIDO2 digital login in one battery-free card) and the Biometric Payment Card (Visa/Mastercard certified, with biometric 3D Secure for online transactions). The company also sells fingerprint sensor components/modules to partners and a mobile enrollment app for iOS and Android.

Product overview

IDEX Biometrics offers a portfolio of biometric authentication products centered on fingerprint-enabled smart cards. The core products are the Biometric Access Card (for physical and digital access control) and the Biometric Payment Card (for secure payments certified by Visa and Mastercard). These are supported by fingerprint sensor components and modules, plus the IDEX Card mobile app for enrollment and management. The access and payment cards share common technology: both use an on-card secure element with EAL6+ certification, capacitive fingerprint sensor with liveness detection, and FIDO2 support for digital authentication. The cards require no battery, drawing power from the reader during use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IDEX Biometric Access Card Smart card with integrated fingerprint sensor for unified physical and digital access control. Designed for enterprises, governments, and organizations needing secure employee/contractor authentication without passwords, PINs, or batteries.
• IDEX Biometric Payment Card Payment card with embedded fingerprint sensor enabling biometric authentication for in-store and online payments. Certified by Visa and Mastercard for issuance by banks and card issuers, replacing PIN codes with fingerprint verification.
• Fingerprint Sensors and Modules Fingerprint sensor components and modules sold as standalone products to partners integrating biometric capabilities into their own card or device solutions. Includes capacitive sensors with spoof protection and liveness detection.
• IDEX Card Mobile App Mobile app for iOS and Android enabling cardholder enrollment and management of IDEX biometric cards. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Accessible Biometric Payment Card Biometric payment card variant combining fingerprint authentication with tactile accessibility features for visually impaired users, replacing PIN authentication with embedded identity verification for inclusive payments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% reduction in fraud rate compared to SMS OTP authentication
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

AI capability2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• BKF SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Partnership with BKF Systems for accessible biometric payment card solution alongside TaluCard, providing fingerprint authentication technology for inclusive payment solutions.
• ID Centric Group Pte LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Singapore/Malaysia-based APAC biometric ID solutions provider. Partnership included NOK 90 million directed private placement giving 20% equity stake, initial binding purchase order worth US$1.75 million for IDEX biometric sensors with deliveries commencing April 2026. ID Centric committed to exclusively deploy IDEX technology across its national ID and biometric identity card offerings in the Asia-Pacific region. The investment was later cancelled by mutual agreement in April 2026.
• TaluCardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Partnership to launch the first accessible biometric payment card combining fingerprint authentication with tactile accessibility features for visually impaired users. Solution replaces traditional PIN authentication with embedded identity verification, enabling unlimited contactless transactions while reducing fraud vectors and failed payment attempts.
• Hitachi Payment ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Partnership to launch India's first RuPay biometric payment card at Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Hitachi Payment Services developed the biometric card for the Indian market, featuring IDEX Biometrics fingerprint authentication technology. Card notable for being first of its kind on NPCI's RuPay network, designed to meet RBI's new two-factor authentication regulations.
• Airtel Payments BankmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025Partner in launching India's first RuPay biometric payment card. Airtel Payments Bank is piloting the biometric card developed by Hitachi Payment Services with IDEX technology. Launch aligned with Reserve Bank of India's regulatory update permitting biometric authentication for digital payments, opening the Indian market for this technology.
• SaviyntcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2025Enterprise identity governance and access management company integrating IDEX biometric access cards into their Zero Trust security solutions portfolio. Partnership enables Saviynt to strengthen its authentication offerings with proven biometric innovation.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Infineon Technologies: Major supplier of EAL6+ secure-element chips used in biometric payment and ID cards, including competing biometric card programs by Thales and IDEMIA. Competes with IDEX at the silicon layer of the biometric card stack.
• NXP Semiconductors: Dominant supplier of secure-element chips for payment and ID cards; NXP's secure-element platform underpins much of the biometric-card ecosystem including IDEX's own solutions. Indirect competitor and ecosystem partner rather than a direct biometric-card rival.
• STMicroelectronics: Broad-line semiconductor manufacturer offering secure elements, NFC controllers, and biometric sensor components for smart cards and IoT. Provides enabling silicon and competes in adjacent secure-element categories.

Direct peers

• IDEMIA: IDEMIA is a leading provider of biometric payment cards, national ID programs, and secure credentials with a global bank and government footprint. Competes with IDEX on the same bank and government biometric card RFPs worldwide.
• Thales Group (Digital Identity & Security): Thales DIS is the largest supplier of biometric payment cards and secure elements globally, with EMV-certified solutions sold to banks and governments. Directly comparable to IDEX as a primary competitor for biometric smart-card deployments and secure-element technology.
• Fingerprint Cards AB (Fingerprints): Swedish fingerprint sensor company that supplies capacitive sensors and biometric authentication software for payment and access cards. Closely comparable in sensor technology and target customer base, including the biometric smart-card market IDEX serves.
• Zwipe: Norwegian-headquartered biometric payment card specialist pursuing a similar go-to-market of low-power fingerprint-authenticated cards for banks and issuers. Direct peer in scale, geography, and product category.
• Next Biometrics: Norwegian fingerprint sensor company with comparable product technology (capacitive sensors) and a customer base spanning smart cards, access control, and notebooks. Competes with IDEX for sensor business in adjacent device categories.

Others

• HID Global (ASSA ABLOY): Global leader in physical access control credentials and readers — listed as an integration partner (HID Seos) in IDEX's access-card offering. Acts simultaneously as ecosystem partner and competitor in enterprise biometric access deployments.

Emerging players

• SmartMetric: Smaller U.S.-based biometric card company with similar on-card fingerprint authentication technology. Comparable product concept and end-customer use case, though substantially smaller scale than IDEX or the major incumbents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/idexasa

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IDEX Biometrics