EMV chip and contactless, built right and certified
We help issuers, acquirers, terminal makers and transit operators design, integrate and certify EMV contact and contactless solutions, from the kernel and card profile to final acceptance testing.
What our clients are up against
Certification cycles shape launches
Each approval level has its own test plans, laboratories and scheme rules, and a single failed test case can reset a schedule.
Many kernels on one terminal
A contactless terminal may carry kernels for Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Discover and others, each with its own configuration and upgrade cycle.
Chip data that must match
Card profiles, personalization data, terminal parameters and host cryptography must agree exactly, and mismatches often surface only at the point of sale.
How we cover EMV Chip & Kernels
Contact and contactless kernels
Integrate and configure the kernel, the software that runs each EMV transaction on the terminal.
- Contact kernel integration to EMV Books 1 to 4
- Contactless Entry Point and scheme kernels C-2 to C-7
- EMVCo C-8 contactless kernel adoption planning
- Android POS and mobile contactless kernel integration
- Transit validator and gate kernels for open-loop acceptance
- Kernel debugging and transaction log analysis
Transaction flow and risk
Tune how card and terminal decide to approve offline, decline or go online.
- Cardholder Verification Method (CVM) lists: online PIN, offline PIN, signature, no CVM
- Consumer Device CVM (CDCVM) for phones and wearables
- Offline Data Authentication (ODA): Static, Dynamic and Combined (SDA, DDA, CDA)
- Terminal and card risk management, floor limits and action codes
- Application cryptograms, issuer authentication and issuer scripts
- Terminal configuration: application identifiers, public keys and limits
Chip cards and personalization
Define what goes on the chip and how it gets there.
- Card profile design and personalization data preparation
- Personalization to the EMV Card Personalization Specification (CPS)
- EMV chip personalization, PIN management and Card Verification Value (CVV) generation
- Host validation of Authorization Request and Response Cryptograms (ARQC, ARPC)
- Transit card personalization and lifecycle management
Testing and certification
Prepare for each EMVCo and card network approval step.
- Level 1 (L1) contact and contactless interface readiness
- Level 2 (L2) kernel type approval preparation
- Level 3 (L3) acquirer and scheme acceptance testing
- Test plans, pre-testing and failure analysis
- Kernel upgrades and approval renewals
- NFC mobile payments certification
Ways to work with us
Certification readiness
Gap reviews, test plans and pre-testing that prepare your kernel, terminal or card for formal approval.
Architecture review
An independent review of your kernel, card profile, terminal configuration and host cryptography.
Team training
EMV courses from foundation to kernel lab, led by a team that includes a Mastercard-Accredited EMV Trainer.
Build your team's capability
Our EMV training runs from chip fundamentals to hands-on kernel certification, for cohorts of up to 12 participants, on-site or remote.
EMV Chip Card Technology
FoundationEMV Contactless Payments
AdvancedEMV Kernel Debugging & Certification Lab
ExpertTraining modules
- EMV Chip Personalization and PIN Management
- Android POS Kernel Development
- Transit EMV Acceptance and Validator Design Lab
- Transit Validator Certification and Testing
- NFC Mobile Payments Certification
- EMV Token Lifecycle and Cryptogram Processing
- Offline Data Authentication and CVM Deep DiveProposed
- C-8 Kernel Adoption WorkshopProposed
Services, case studies and tools
What do the contactless kernel names C-2 to C-8 mean?
Each card network published its own contactless kernel: C-2 for Mastercard, C-3 for Visa, C-4 for American Express, C-5 for JCB, C-6 for Discover and C-7 for UnionPay. EMVCo's C-8 is a single contactless kernel designed to work across participating networks, which means fewer kernels to certify and maintain over time. We help you decide which kernels to carry and when to adopt C-8.
What is the difference between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3?
Level 1 covers the physical and electrical interface between card and reader, contact and contactless. Level 2 covers the kernel software that runs the EMV transaction logic. Both are type-approved through EMVCo-accredited laboratories. Level 3 confirms that the complete terminal, configuration and host work together to each card network's rules, usually through acquirer-led testing.
Do you perform the certification testing?
Formal approvals come from EMVCo-accredited laboratories and the card networks. Our role is to get you ready: reviewing requirements, preparing test plans, running pre-tests, analyzing failures and supporting your team through each cycle so formal sessions go to plan.
Can you help with both the card and the terminal?
Yes. We design card profiles and personalization data for issuers, and kernel integration and terminal configuration for acquirers and terminal makers. Seeing both sides helps us trace problems such as cryptogram or CVM mismatches back to their source.
Let's plan your EMV certification path
Talk to an EMV specialist about your kernel, card or terminal project.