IDEX Biometrics
Corporate brand
UnclaimedNorwegian biometrics company developing fingerprint sensors and recognition technology for payment cards, identity documents, smart cards, mobile devices, and other security applications.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
IDEX Biometrics is a Norwegian biometrics technology company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Oslo. Its main operating presence has been in the United Kingdom, including an office in Farnborough outside London. The company specializes in fingerprint imaging, fingerprint sensing, and fingerprint-recognition technology, with applications spanning identity cards, banking and payment cards, smart cards, access control, healthcare, Internet of Things devices, mobile products, and other security systems. The central proposition of IDEX Biometrics is to combine a small, thin, and flexible fingerprint sensor with software capable of authenticating a person locally. Its technology has particularly been associated with system-on-card implementations, in which the sensor, a microprocessor running biometric algorithms, and storage for biometric user data can be incorporated into a conventional plastic card. In this configuration, the biometric reference can remain on the card rather than being transmitted to a remote system, supporting privacy and allowing authentication to take place through the card itself. A notable early product direction was the SmartFinger Film platform, launched in 2010. The flexible sensor was designed to fit into standard card formats, including credit cards, bank cards, and national identity cards. The approach addressed a practical constraint in card biometrics: adding a fingerprint reader without abandoning the physical form factor and manufacturing conventions of a payment or identification card. IDEX has also described its sensor architecture as being based on polymer process technologies and as supporting ultra-thin swipe sensors. In 2012, IDEX changed its market emphasis. Before that point, the company had concentrated more heavily on card applications. The acquisition of fingerprint-sensor competitor AuthenTec by Apple led IDEX to anticipate that fingerprint readers would become increasingly important in mobile phones. Apple's subsequent introduction of a fingerprint reader in an iPhone in 2013, followed by similar developments among other mobile manufacturers, reinforced that strategic shift. IDEX demonstrated Android-related mobile implementations and a concept for fingerprint sensors integrated into mobile-device cover glass. Its SmartFinger technology was also associated with fingerprint-recognition solutions for iPhone and iPad products. Over time, biometric payment cards became the main commercial focus described for IDEX's technology. The company has announced relationships with card, payments, semiconductor, and smart-card companies including Mastercard, IDEMIA, Chutian Dragon, Feitian, Goldpac, HED, Hengbao, Excelsecu, Infineon, and XH Smart Tech. These relationships indicate an ecosystem-oriented business model in which IDEX supplies sensor and biometric technology while partners contribute card manufacturing, payment infrastructure, secure elements, personalization, or distribution capabilities. In March 2021, IDEX began shipping TrustedBio, a new generation of fingerprint sensors aimed specifically at the card market. TrustedBio represented a further concentration on biometric cards and the practical commercialization of fingerprint authentication in payment and identity-card formats. IDEX's intellectual-property portfolio includes early patents related to low-cost capacitive fingerprint sensors, and the company has a cross-licence with Apple relating to this technology. IDEX Biometrics therefore occupies a specialized position within the biometrics industry. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer electronics brand, it develops enabling sensor and software technology for integration into cards, devices, and security products produced or deployed by other organizations. Its history reflects a movement from flexible fingerprint technology for cards, through interest in mobile-device integration, toward renewed concentration on biometric payment cards and other system-on-card applications.
History
IDEX Biometrics was founded in Norway in 1996 and developed as a specialist company in fingerprint imaging and fingerprint recognition. It is headquartered in Oslo, while its principal operating activity has been associated with the United Kingdom, including an office in Farnborough near London. The company's work sits within the wider biometrics field, which includes fingerprint, facial, iris, retinal, DNA, voice, behavioral, and other forms of identification. IDEX's specialization has been fingerprint sensing and the software required to authenticate users from fingerprint data. The company developed a technology platform based on polymer process technologies. This enabled the production of small, thin, and flexible swipe sensors rather than conventional, comparatively bulky readers. The form factor was especially relevant to cards and other products in which space, thickness, and mechanical flexibility are important constraints. IDEX's early intellectual-property work included patents for low-cost capacitive fingerprint sensors. The company also holds a cross-licence with Apple relating to this technology. In 2010, IDEX launched SmartFinger Film. The product was intended to allow a complete fingerprint-sensor system to be incorporated into a standard plastic card. Potential formats included credit cards, bank cards, and national identity cards. The system-on-card concept combined the sensor with a microprocessor running biometric algorithms and storage for the user's biometric data. By keeping the data on the card, rather than requiring it to be sent to an external server, the design was presented as a way to support privacy and local authentication. The company's commercial emphasis changed in the autumn of 2012. Until then, IDEX had focused substantially on card uses for its technology. Apple's acquisition of AuthenTec, a competitor in fingerprint sensing, was interpreted by IDEX as evidence that fingerprint readers would be incorporated into mobile phones. Apple's introduction of a fingerprint reader in an iPhone in 2013 and the subsequent adoption of fingerprint solutions by other mobile manufacturers strengthened the relevance of that market thesis. IDEX demonstrated mobile-phone-related implementations running on Android and presented a concept involving fingerprint sensors integrated into the cover glass of mobile devices. SmartFinger-related fingerprint solutions for Apple iPhone and iPad products were also launched. Although mobile applications formed an important part of the company's technology exploration, biometric cards gradually became the main focus of its commercialization efforts. IDEX announced partnerships and industry relationships with Mastercard, IDEMIA, Chutian Dragon, Feitian, Goldpac, HED, Hengbao, Excelsecu, Infineon, and XH Smart Tech. The range of these organizations reflects the interconnected nature of biometric-card development, which requires sensor technology to work with payment networks, card manufacturers, secure chips, personalization systems, and other components of the smart-card ecosystem. In March 2021, IDEX started shipping TrustedBio, a new generation of sensors specifically targeted at the card market. This marked a further product-generation step in the company's card strategy and reinforced its focus on fingerprint authentication for payment cards and related smart-card applications. Across its history, IDEX has consequently moved between several application priorities—first emphasizing card integration, then examining mobile-device opportunities, and later concentrating again on biometric payment cards. Its business identity remains that of an enabling technology supplier rather than a mass-market consumer brand.
- 2021
TrustedBio shipments begin
[1]IDEX starts shipping TrustedBio, a new generation of fingerprint sensors aimed specifically at card applications.
- 2013
Mobile fingerprint adoption validates a new application area
[1]Apple introduces a fingerprint reader in an iPhone, followed by similar fingerprint solutions from other mobile manufacturers, while IDEX demonstrates mobile-related implementations.
- 2012
The company shifts toward mobile fingerprint applications
[1]Following Apple's acquisition of AuthenTec, IDEX changes its market emphasis and begins pursuing the expected expansion of fingerprint readers in mobile phones.
- 2010
SmartFinger Film is launched
[1]IDEX launches SmartFinger Film, a thin and flexible fingerprint sensor designed for integration into standard plastic cards such as payment and national identity cards.
- 1996
IDEX Biometrics is founded
[1]IDEX Biometrics is established in Norway as a company focused on fingerprint imaging and fingerprint-recognition technology.
Products and positioning
A specialist supplier of thin, flexible fingerprint-sensing and biometric-authentication technology, with particular emphasis on privacy-preserving system-on-card applications and biometric payment cards.
Flexible fingerprint sensor · 2010
SmartFinger Film
SmartFinger Film is a thin, flexible fingerprint-sensor platform launched in 2010. It was designed to allow a fingerprint sensor and associated system components to be built into ordinary plastic cards, including credit cards, bank cards, and national identity cards. The system-on-card approach could combine sensing hardware, a processor running biometric algorithms, and storage for biometric user data. Its principal value proposition was to support local authentication while preserving a familiar card form factor and keeping biometric data on the card.
Biometric card fingerprint sensor · 2021
TrustedBio
TrustedBio is a later generation of IDEX fingerprint sensors targeted specifically at card applications. The product was designed for the company's renewed emphasis on biometric payment cards and related smart-card products. IDEX began shipping TrustedBio in March 2021, making it a documented product-generation milestone in the company's card-focused commercialization strategy.
Mobile fingerprint technology
SmartFinger mobile implementations
IDEX demonstrated implementations of its fingerprint technology for mobile phones running Android and presented a concept for embedding fingerprint sensors into mobile-device cover glass. The company also launched fingerprint-recognition solutions associated with Apple iPhone and iPad products. These efforts reflected the strategic expansion of fingerprint sensing into mobile devices after the company reassessed the market in 2012.
Brand decisions
2021
Launch of TrustedBio for card applicationsProduct launchBackground
Biometric payment cards and other card-based identity applications had become the main commercial focus for IDEX's fingerprint technology.
Action taken
IDEX began shipping TrustedBio, a new generation of fingerprint sensors designed specifically for the card market.
Aftermath
TrustedBio reinforced the company's concentration on biometric payment cards and system-on-card products.
2012
Shift from card emphasis toward mobile fingerprint technologyStrategyBackground
Before 2012, IDEX placed substantial emphasis on incorporating fingerprint technology into cards. Apple's acquisition of AuthenTec suggested to IDEX that fingerprint readers could become a major mobile-phone feature.
Action taken
The company changed its market focus and pursued mobile-related fingerprint implementations, including Android demonstrations and a concept for sensors integrated into mobile-device cover glass.
Aftermath
Apple introduced fingerprint authentication in an iPhone in 2013, and other mobile manufacturers followed. IDEX later returned to making biometric cards its main commercialization focus.
Recent events
Reported
Rocker launches Rocker Touch in Sweden[2]
Rocker launched Rocker Touch, a biometric payment card service, in Sweden in collaboration with IDEX Biometrics and IDEMIA.
Reported
Idex Biometrics and Quest Payment Systems partner on biometric smart cards[3]
Idex Biometrics and Quest Payment Systems announced a partnership to introduce biometric smart cards in Australasia. Shipments were planned for the second quarter of 2020.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Idex Biometrics licenses on-card enrollment patents to Idemia[4]
Idex Biometrics signed a patent license agreement allowing Idemia to use specified Idex patents for on-card remote fingerprint enrollment solutions.
Sources4 sources
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