Back when money did not exist, the value system was based on exchanges. With the introduction of coins, the value system was standardized, and then recognized and accepted throughout the world - it became the money as we know it today. It provided many solutions but also created new problems: How to transport a large amount of money from one place to another? How to prevent it from being stolen or forged?

Plastic money, more commonly known as a credit card was a good idea, but it did not entirely replace money, and neither did it eliminate the situations in which the use of money was required.

The latest novelty on the market in terms of security technology and convenience is e-money, which promises to revolutionize the current value and collection system. E-money stands for electronic currency, and supplements the regular credit card system. It is loaded from your bank account to a Smart Card – a new generation of Intelligent Cards functioning like an electronic wallet. The money stored in the card may be spent in stores equipped with Smart Card readers, where the amount is debited from the card’s memory. When purchasing small values, the Smart Card replaces cash, credit cards, and check books.

A Smart Card is called an Intelligent Card because it contains is a chip capable of storing a large amount of information and preventing access of unauthorized people.

A single Smart Card may combine a number of functions – such as a credit card, debit card, electronic wallet, multi-fidelity card, personal ID card, digital authentication for safe Internet-based transactions) with a potential to incorporate other applications. It may be personalized, loaded or reconfigured according to software specifications, not requiring card base changes.