Multos
MULTOS is a consortium-backed secure operating system platform for high-assurance smart cards and IoT/embedded devices, serving payments, identity, wearables, and IoT segments via Common Criteria EAL7-certified technology licensed through 30+ member organizations including Mastercard, Thales, Idemia, and Infineon.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Multos does
MULTOS is a consortium-backed operating system platform for high-security smart cards and connected devices, originally developed by the banking industry in 1995 to support offline electronic purse applications. The technology provides a multi-application execution environment within tamper-resistant secure Integrated Circuit (IC) components and is divided into two core technology areas: MULTOS Smart Card Technology for credit-card-sized secure devices and MULTOS IoT & Embedded Device Technology for connected devices. The platform architecture centers on an on-chip virtual machine that executes applications compiled into MULTOS Executable Language (MEL) bytecodes, with each device containing a unique RSA key pair managed by the Key Management Authority (KMA) to enable secure asymmetric cryptography provisioning. MULTOS secure tokens were the first to achieve Common Criteria EAL7 certification, the highest level of security assurance from the Common Criteria organisation. The product portfolio includes MULTOS Smart Card Technology, MULTOS Trust Anchor (an embedded IC for IoT and embedded designs), the SmartDeck SDK (an Eclipse-based development environment), and MULTOS Trust Hub (a deployment support platform).
MULTOS operates as a global consortium of 30+ industry stakeholders rather than a traditional company, with members including Mastercard, Thales, Idemia, Infineon, STMicroelectronics, FIS, and Fiserv. Revenue is generated through consortium membership tiers (Council at US$35,000 per year, Partner at US$5,000 per year, Professional Partner at US$1,500 per year, and Associate at US$500 per year) and through technology licensing to organizations developing MULTOS-based products. The platform serves four primary customer segments: Payments (EMV cards, contactless payments, biometric cards), Identity (national ID programs, government services), IoT (device authentication, secure boot), and Wearables (payment wristbands, smart watches). Deployment footprint extends to 50+ countries with 2.5 billion+ devices running MULTOS technology globally; the largest single anchor is FIS/CardPro, issuing approximately 130 million cards per year.
Multos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Multos
- Legal name
- MULTOS
- Website
- https://multos.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MULTOS is a consortium-backed secure operating system platform for high-assurance smart cards and IoT/embedded devices, serving payments, identity, wearables, and IoT segments via Common Criteria EAL7-certified technology licensed through 30+ member organizations including Mastercard, Thales, Idemia, and Infineon.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Multos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secure Smart Card and Embedded Device Operating Systems
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Security Systems Services (56162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Security & Trusted Hardware ICs (Secure Element/TPM/Crypto) (HDAHABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Secure ICs, Smart Cards & Trusted Hardware (HDAHAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Multos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Multos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Consortium Membership Fees: MULTOS generates revenue through consortium membership tiers: Council membership at US$35,000/year, Partner membership at US$5,000/year, Professional Partner membership at US$1,500/year, and Associate membership at US$500/year. Higher tiers provide strategic decision-making rights, technical support, marketing activities, and event discounts.
- Technology Licensing: MULTOS licenses its technology to organizations developing MULTOS-based products or services. Businesses seeking to develop core MULTOS implementations for commercial purposes can obtain a license.
- Software and Development Tools: The consortium provides SmartDeck SDK, technical documentation, and development tools. While the SmartDeck SDK is available as a free download, revenue may be generated through developer kits, support services, and specialized tools.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Council Membership - Leading strategic role |
| Subscription | Annual | Partner Membership - Core business component |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Partner Membership - Smaller businesses |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership - Consortia, government, education |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Multos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MULTOS is a high-security smart card and IoT/embedded device operating system platform implemented on tamper-resistant secure Integrated Circuit (IC) components, comprising an on-chip virtual machine that executes applications and the MULTOS security scheme that protects the chip, application code, and application data. The platform enables multi-application co-residency on a single secure chip with asymmetric cryptography provisioning and is offered to consortium members and technology licensees across the payments, identity, IoT, and wearables markets.
Product overview
MULTOS is a high-security multi-application chip platform comprising two core technology areas: Smart Card Technology for credit card-sized secure devices and IoT & Embedded Device Technology for connected devices. The platform is developed by a consortium and supports multi-application execution with unique cryptographic identities on each IC. Key products include SmartDeck SDK (Eclipse-based development environment), MULTOS Trust Anchor (secure microcontroller/Co-processor for IoT), and Trust Anchor Developer Boards (Development, Breakout, Trust Core, Contactless, and Nano variants). Additional offerings include the MULTOS Trust Hub for deployment support and a comprehensive Technical Library with documentation. MULTOS applications are written in C or Java and compiled to MEL (MULTOS Executable Language) bytecode executed by an on-chip virtual machine.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MULTOS Trust Anchor: Embedded integrated circuits preloaded with the MULTOS operating system, providing highly secure execution environment for IoT and embedded devices
- MULTOS Trust Hub
- MULTOS Smart Cards
- MULTOS step/one
Products and services
- MULTOS Smart Card Technology High-security smart card operating system implemented on hardened microcontrollers for financial institutions, governments, and enterprises requiring Common Criteria EAL7-grade multi-application smart cards. Supports applications written in C, Assembler, or Java, compiled to MEL bytecodes, and executed on an on-chip virtual machine with tamper resistance and KMA-managed cryptographic provisioning.
- MULTOS IoT & Embedded Device Technology Security platform implemented within hardened microcontrollers as a hardware root of trust for IoT and embedded devices. Provides asymmetric cryptography for device identity, secure provisioning, runtime malware protection, and lifecycle management for connected devices in industrial, energy, and consumer applications.
- MULTOS Trust Anchor Embedded integrated circuit preloaded with the MULTOS operating system, functioning as a highly secure microcontroller or co-processor for IoT and embedded designs. Supports command mode, embedded mode, smartcard mode, and combined mode operations.
- SmartDeck SDK Eclipse CDT-based software development kit for developing MULTOS applications in C, loading and debugging them on developer devices, and building them for deployment on live products.
- Trust Anchor Developer Boards Suite of development boards for the MULTOS Trust Anchor, including Development Board, Breakout Board, Trust Core (Raspberry Pi/Arduino compatible), Contactless Board, and Nano Board. All use developer versions of the M5 product range with known key sets.
- MULTOS Trust Hub Software support and deployment platform for MULTOS-based solutions covering enablement, development, deployment, software support, and troubleshooting.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2.5 billion MULTOS-powered devices deployed globally
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Multos
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Multos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Multos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MastercardcoreMastercard is a founding member of the MULTOS Consortium and key payment network supporter. The consortium develops and promotes the MULTOS high security multi-application chip platform. Mastercard supports MULTOS-based payment applications including Mastercard Integrated Card Application (MICA) and Mastercard PayPass contactless payments.
- ThalescoreThales (formerly Gemalto) is a leading member of the MULTOS Consortium and global leader in digital security. Through Multos International, Thales is the leading EMV technology supplier to card manufacturers worldwide.
- IdemiacoreIdemia is a MULTOS Consortium member and global leader in identity and security solutions. The company develops and deploys MULTOS-based identity and payment solutions.
- InfineoncoreInfineon is a MULTOS Consortium member and semiconductor manufacturer providing secure microcontroller ICs (SLE78CLUFX5000PHM) used in MULTOS Trust Anchor developer boards.
- STMicroelectronicsminorSTMicroelectronics is a MULTOS Consortium member and semiconductor manufacturer contributing to the MULTOS ecosystem and supply chain.
- FIScoreFIS is a MULTOS Consortium member and the world's largest MULTOS issuer, with CardPro issuing over 130 million MULTOS cards per year serving over 3,000 clients and 20,000 card programs.
- FiservminorFiserv is a MULTOS Consortium member and global provider of payments and financial services technology.
- DiscoverminorDiscover is a MULTOS Consortium member and payment network supporting MULTOS-based payment applications.
- IoT Security FoundationminorThe IoT Security Foundation (IoTSF) is a global non-profit focused on securing the connected IoT world. MULTOS engages with IoTSF for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and standards development.
- Giesecke & DevrientminorGiesecke & Devrient (G+D) is a MULTOS Consortium member and global provider of payment cards, currency processing, and security solutions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Multos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Infineon Technologies: Infineon supplies the SLE78CLUFX5000PHM secure microcontroller ICs used in MULTOS Trust Anchor boards and offers its own OPTIGA family of security solutions, positioning it as both partner and broad incumbent.
- STMicroelectronics: STMicroelectronics is a MULTOS consortium member and supplies secure microcontrollers across payments and IoT, while also offering its own ST33 family of secure elements that compete with MULTOS Trust Anchor.
- ARM (TrustZone / Cortex-M): ARM's TrustZone technology provides a hardware-software root of trust widely used in secure ICs and embedded MCUs that compete with MULTOS's on-chip virtual machine approach for security isolation.
Direct peers
- NXP Semiconductors: NXP's JCOP smart card OS and embedded Secure Element platforms compete directly with MULTOS in payment, identity, and IoT security. Both target secure IC-based multi-application execution and serve the same issuer ecosystem.
- Inside Secure (Verimatrix): Inside Secure (now part of Verimatrix) historically provided secure element IP and software protection solutions directly comparable to MULTOS's secure OS and embedded security stack.
- WISeKey: WISeKey provides secure semiconductors, IoT security, and PKI-based identity solutions comparable to MULTOS's Trust Anchor offering, particularly for connected device authentication.
- Idemia: Idemia is a MULTOS consortium member and a direct competitor offering its own secure OS, payment cards, and identity credentials across financial and government markets.
- Giesecke+Devrient (G+D): G+D provides payment cards, secure OS, and identity solutions as both a MULTOS consortium member and a competing technology provider for EMV and government ID programs.
- Thales (Gemalto): Thales is both a MULTOS consortium member and a direct competitor through its Gemalto heritage, supplying EMV chip platforms and secure OS to card manufacturers worldwide.
Emerging players
- Trusted Objects: Trusted Objects is a smaller specialist offering secure elements and IoT security components, overlapping with MULTOS Trust Anchor for connected device use cases but at a smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Multos social profiles
Digital presenceMultos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Multos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Multos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Multos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Multos
What does Multos do?
MULTOS is a high-security smart card and IoT/embedded device operating system platform implemented on tamper-resistant secure Integrated Circuit (IC) components, comprising an on-chip virtual machine that executes applications and the MULTOS security scheme that protects the chip, application code, and application data. The platform enables multi-application co-residency on a single secure chip with asymmetric cryptography provisioning and is offered to consortium members and technology licensees across the payments, identity, IoT, and wearables markets.
Is Multos a public or private company?
Multos is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Multos founded?
Multos was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Multos based?
Multos is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Multos make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consortium Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and software and Development Tools.
Who are Multos's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Infineon Technologies, STMicroelectronics and ARM (TrustZone / Cortex-M). Direct peers are NXP Semiconductors, Inside Secure (Verimatrix), WISeKey, Idemia, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) and Thales (Gemalto). Trusted Objects is listed as an emerging player.
Does Multos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Multos.
What industry is Multos in?
Multos's product category is Secure Smart Card and Embedded Device Operating Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHABAF, Security & Trusted Hardware ICs (Secure Element/TPM/Crypto), with a secondary code of HDAHAAAJ, Secure ICs, Smart Cards & Trusted Hardware. Its NAICS code is 518.