MasterCard Worldwide has qualified the first card personalisation validation (CPV) test tool to meet its latest CPV requirements v5.5, released in April 2012. The test tool which was brought to market by Barnes and FIME collectively is designed to allow issuers to prepare for the MasterCard CPV certification process, mitigating the risk of issues arising during the final certification stage.

Barnes International, which develops and supplies chip card test tools and magnetic stripe analysers, began its collaboration with FIME last year, combining their expertise to meet the requirements of MasterCard.  Together they worked to advance the CPV test solution, which comprises Barnes CPV module, Barnes CPV PRO module and PersevalPRO FIME-CPV, for pre-certification of MasterCard and MasterCard PayPass cards. MasterCard approved the test tool after a number of qualification tests, which confirmed that it had incorporated the personalisation functionality and security requirements outlined by the payment system.

Banks, card manufacturers and personalisation bureaux can purchase the tool independently to pre-test a product’s adherence to MasterCard standards prior to official certification.

FIME plans to use the updated tool in its official capacity as an accredited MasterCard service provider to generate the test results required for a product to achieve MasterCard certification. The firm’s consulting division will also use the testing solution to continually evaluate a customer’s new payment card activity to ensure that products being brought to market align with MasterCard CPV requirements.

Additionally, Barnes CPV module is available to existing and new users of Barnes’ CPT 3000v3 and CAT 3000v3, and a separate CPV PRO which includes supplementary tests. The combination of these aims to allow developers to pre-validate cards prior to approval, using the same tests as employed by FIME’s MasterCard approved laboratories.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with FIME and provide the market with the first MasterCard CPV tool which meets these latest requirements,” Brian Summerhayes, MD at Barnes International. “Using a test tool throughout the development stages of a new product reduces time to market by eliminating costly and time consuming issues arising during the final certification stage.”