Biometric authentication required when issuing bank cards from next year

(Dan Tri) - From January 6, 2026, banks must meet customers in person and compare their biometrics when issuing cards.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has just issued Circular 45/2025 amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular 18/2024 on bank card operations. The new Circular will take effect from January 5, 2026, with many regulations tightening the identity authentication process to ensure transaction safety.

According to Circular 45, card issuers are required to meet in person to compare and authenticate biometric information of the cardholder (for individual customers) or legal representative (for corporate customers).

At the same time, card issuers must check and authenticate the owner's phone number when customers register to use online services and applications of the banking industry.

The provisions in Clause 6, Article 16 of Circular 18 are amended to tighten the conditions for cards to be allowed to participate in electronic transactions. Specifically, cards can only be used for electronic transactions after completing the verification of identity documents and biometric authentication of the cardholder or legal representative.

The comparison is performed based on biometric data stored in the encrypted information section on the chip-embedded citizen identification card (CCCD), or through the electronic identification account provided by the national electronic identification and authentication system.

Banks may also use previously collected biometric data if they ensure a match between the transactor's data and the data on the CCCD card or electronic identification account.

Some types of bank cards (Photo: Vi Quang).

For foreigners without electronic identity, or Vietnamese people whose nationality is not yet determined, the bank will conduct a face-to-face meeting to collect biometric data. In the case of using a CCCD without an encrypted information storage unit, authentication is performed through biometric data in the National Population Database.

Circular 45 also adds regulations for customers who are organizations. Accordingly, organizations must have a written authorization for an individual to be allowed to use the card; this individual is identified as the secondary cardholder and is responsible within the scope of authorization.

In addition, the Circular allows the installation of card acceptance devices at branches, transaction offices or payment agent points of card payment organizations, to create more convenient conditions for cardholders in withdrawing cash.

Regarding the limit for cash withdrawal via credit card, the State Bank stipulates a maximum total limit of 100 million VND per month for a cardholder, applied according to the BIN - "identification code" of the card.

Notably, Circular 45 abolishes the requirement that individual foreign customers must have a minimum residence period of 12 months in Vietnam when requesting card issuance. Instead, the card validity period is determined not to exceed the customer's remaining residence period in Vietnam.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/bat-buoc-xac-thuc-sinh-trac-hoc-khi-phat-hanh-the-ngan-hang-tu-nam-sau-20251203000139672.htm