IST Launches Glitter Ink Innovation for Premium Payment Card Design

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) brings brilliance to everyday payments with a new glitter ink printing technology. The feature incorporates reflective particles printed onto a translucent card body, creating a subtle light-catching visual effect while maintaining the card’s standard functionality and durability.

Glitter ink provides issuers with an additional way to differentiate card programs through material and finish choices, at a time when payment card design plays an increasingly visible role in customer engagement.

Strong Appeal for Gen Z and Style-Conscious Consumers

The glitter ink card is particularly appealing to style-conscious consumers such as teens taking their first financial steps and trend-driven Gen Z users, where demand for expressive financial products is especially strong. It also opens the door to creative, limited-edition collectibles that cardholders will want to keep and show off.

As digital payments grow, physical payment cards remain one of the few tangible connections between issuers and their customers. More than ever, advanced card design has become a powerful differentiator: an opportunity for issuers to stand out, express their brand, and create an emotional connection with customers at a time of endless choices.

According to IST’s latest consumer survey, 72% of global respondents indicated that card design is important to them, and one-third stated that it influences how they perceive their bank. This figure rises to 45% among 18 to 37-year-olds.¹

Continuous Card Innovation and End-to-End Service

Glitter ink expands IST’s existing portfolio of advanced card design options, which includes neon inks and liquid crystal ink technologies. These solutions allow issuers to tailor card aesthetics to different audiences without changing the underlying payment experience.

IST provides end-to-end support covering card design, manufacturing, and personalization across more than 30 service centers worldwide. This enables issuers to deploy visually distinct cards while maintaining consistent production and adapting designs to local market requirements.

We are extremely excited to launch glitter ink for payment cards. We continuously innovate to help our customers stay ahead of the curve with standout card designs that resonate with their audience, especially Gen Z, who value self-expression and individuality—glitter ink does exactly that. I look forward to seeing the designs that will come to market with this new addition.
Jacques Doucerain, Head of Product Management, Payment Services, IST

¹Independent consumer survey conducted by Dentsu Insights in 12 countries globally, 2024