IDEMIA and BNL BNP Paribas Launch a Light-Up Payment Card for Tennis Fans

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) and BNL BNP Paribas have partnered to launch a light-up payment card to celebrate the BNL BNP Paribas 20th anniversary of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, a top-tier professional tennis tournament held annually in Rome, Italy.

The prepaid limited-edition card is based on IST’s Starlight LED payment card model, featuring an embedded LED panel that lights up when tapped on an NFC-enabled device, illuminating a pattern on the card with no battery required.

The design of the BNL BNP Paribas light-up card celebrates the 20th anniversary of the group’s partnership with the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. Inspired by the outdoor clay courts of Rome’s iconic Foro Italico, it captures the moment a tennis ball strikes the surface in an effect brought to life when the ball motif lights up as the card is tapped on a payment terminal.

Applications for the card opened in April for new account holders and will be available for application from existing customers in June. To build anticipation ahead of the tournament in May, a major promotional media campaign was rolled out across leading connected TV channels, and all official BNL BNP Paribas communication channels in Italy. This included a video campaign with the slogan, “Be Noticed In and Out of Tennis Courts”, highlighting the bank and the BNP Paribas Group’s long-standing presence in the international tennis circuit. The card was also showcased at the BNL BNP Paribas stand at the Foro Italico in Rome, leading up to the event.

The decade-long partnership between IST and BNL BNP Paribas has entered a new phase with this launch, reflecting a shared ambition to explore new formats and programs aligned with evolving market expectations in a context defined by increasing choice; where distinctive, innovative design is a key differentiator.

We would like to thank BNL BNP Paribas for their trust and passion around this highly visible project where innovation meets design and celebration. The light-up card is the perfect format to create a collector’s item for an event that resonates strongly with BNL BNP Paribas’ customers and the wider tennis community.
Vincent Gros, Sales Director Italy, Payment Services, IST