UAE government examining biometric ID card for payments

The UAE’s biometric civil identification card could soon be used for payments. According to an article in the Gulf News, authored by Ali Mohammad Al Khouri, the director-general of the Emirates Identity Authority, the UAE Government is currently looking at “how the smart identity card infrastructure in the country can support secure electronic payment systems suitable for both government and commercial purposes.” “Once we effectively deal with the security risks pertaining to electronic payment mechanisms, we are at the threshold of a clear win-win situation, promising unprecedented benefits for all,” Al Khouri writes.  “The cost and risks associated with physical cash have always been a determining factor behind new age payment systems.”