HSBC Bank Malta has announced that, following the successful issue of its first Chip and PIN (Personal Identification Number) cards through its systems four months ago, it is now making available Chip and Pin credit cards for Premier and Classic Card customers.

Following months of rigorous testing and certification by MasterCard and Visa, HSBC Bank Malta has, over the past month, issued a number of Chip and PIN Credit and Debit cards that have been pilot-tested locally and overseas by selected customers. In addition, HSBC Bank Malta is the only local bank to have its EPOS terminals certified by all card schemes to accept Chip and PIN Cards - another first for Malta.

Chip and PIN cards offer improved security features when compared to existing credit and debit cards. This is because at point of sale, customers will now be required to enter their unique PIN to authorise any transactions. This replaces the current practice of customers having to sign a receipt.