Our fingerprints are quickly replacing PINs and passwords as our primary means of unlocking our phones, doors and safes. They're convenient, unique, and ultimately more secure than easily guessed or forged passwords and signatures. So it makes sense that fingerprint sensors are coming to protect our credit and debit cards.

Mastercard is testing out new fingerprint sensor-enabled payment cards that, combined with the onboard chips, offer a new, convenient way to authorize your in-person transactions. Instead of signing a paper receipt or entering your PIN while struggling to cover up the number pad, you simply place your thumb on your card to prove your identity.

MasterCard will bring facial recognition payment services dubbed “selfie pay” to the UK as part of a range of new services designed to improve identity verification for mobile phone payments.

British users will be able to scan fingerprints or snap selfies to validate their identities, in a system designed to let them complete an online purchase without the need for pin codes, passwords or confirmation codes. The picture is mapped against a stored image on file, allowing use of mobile payments. Mobile phone groups such as Samsung are expected to use Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to reveal more details of their payment platforms.

This fall, MasterCard will start experimenting with a new program: approving online purchases with a facial scan. At checkout, you'll be asked to hold up your phone and snap a photo. MasterCard's thinking? It's easier than remembering a password.

This is MasterCard's way of cutting down fraud. Currently, customers can set up something called "SecureCode," which requires a password when shopping online. This stops credit-card-number-stealing hackers from actually using your card on the Web. It was used in 3 billion transactions last year. But passwords get forgotten, stolen, or intercepted. So, banks are following Apple's lead.

With all the news about massive data breaches in the biggest retail chains and the ever-present risk of online fraud, you may be wondering whether or not it is really a good idea to use credit cards at all. 

Of course it is! After all, it’s much safer than carrying lots of cash in your pockets, and you have no viable alternatives when buying something online – be it a new smartphone app or a car. So, banking cards are good, despite the possibility of security issues. You just have to make sure your “virtual pockets” are not wide open for a thief’s convenience. There are some tips for you to follow in order to protect your credit cards.

MasterCard and Zwipe have announced the launch of a biometric contactless payment card with integrated fingerprint sensor, which they say will improve security and consumer convenience. 

Senior executives from MasterCard and Zwipe are marketing the new card as a more secure way to pay than other contactless payment options and a convenient method of transacting due to the lack of PIN number required at the point of sale. It includes an integrated biometric sensor and the Zwipe secure authentication technology. It is the first of its kind to combine biometric authentication with contactless payment.