Plans are in place for new credit cards in Britain to be issued with fingerprint scanners instead of using PINs.
The card will be activated by the holder putting their finger over a sensor on the card. It would no longer be needed to put the card into a terminal and then tap in the four-digit code.
If the scanner recognises the user, it will send a signal to the shop till, prompting a payment to go through.
The card has been trialled successfully in Norway. Kim Humborstad, founder of Zwipe, a Norwegian technology firm working with Mastercard on the project, said: "Feedback from our pilot with has been very positive – cardholders love how easy the card is to use with the added security feature."
Mastercard will introduce the first fingerprint cards next year in the UK.
“Contactless” cards are already in use in the UK. They are activated when the user taps or waves the plastic card close to a special card reader.
They can purchase goods worth up to £20. Users may be asked to provide their PIN for random checks to help prevent fraud.
Nearly 24 million contactless payments were made in June alone, according to UK Cards Association.
Mastercard said the new fingerprint cards give another layer of security so that spending limits were not required.
Ajay Bhalla of Mastercard said: "Our belief is that we should be able to identify ourselves without having to use passwords or Pin numbers.
"Biometric authentication can help us achieve this – our challenge is to ensure the technology offers robust security, simplicity of use and convenience for the customer."