Mobiilkaardid

Mobiilkaardid (mobile cards) are digital representations of physical cards stored on smartphones or other devices. They allow credentials such as transit tickets, payment cards, access badges, loyalty passes, and event tickets to be used without a plastic card. Provisioning typically occurs through a mobile wallet app or a dedicated issuer app, and credentials can be delivered via remote provisioning, secure element, or cloud-based tokens.

How they work varies by use case. For payments and some transit applications, card emulation or tokenization is used and the device communicates with a point-of-sale or reader through near-field communication (NFC). Other passes may be displayed as a barcode or QR code for scanning. Security relies on multiple layers, including device authentication (PIN, password, or biometric), encryption, tokenization, and the ability to remotely revoke or wipe credentials if a device is lost or compromised.

Common uses include public transportation and campus shuttles, corporate or campus access control, car rental or hotel check-ins, and loyalty programs. In payments, mobiilkaardid often operate within established card schemes and standards such as EMV for contactless transactions, NFC Forum specifications, and host card emulation (HCE) to enable card functionality on devices. For access and tickets, compatibility with legacy reader infrastructure and standardized card formats (e.g., ISO/IEC 14443 or 15693) is important for interoperability.

Benefits of mobiilkaardid include reduced reliance on physical cards, easier updates and revocation, and seamless cross-service use. Challenges include fragmentation across platforms, privacy concerns, device compatibility, battery dependence, and the need for broad issuer adoption to ensure widespread interoperability.