CPI Card Group Inc. (Nasdaq: PMTS) (“CPI” or “the Company”), a payments technology company providing a range of credit, debit, and prepaid card and digital solutions, including Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) instant issuance, announced it has been named a winner of the esteemed 2024 Élan Award of Excellence by the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA). CPI won the association’s People’s Choice category for its LED Cards, which illuminate a credit or debit card in the presence of a contactless reader. The awards were announced at the ICMA Expo, held from May 13 to 16 in Orlando, Florida.
“CPI is proud to win the People’s Choice category of the Élan Awards as it is voted on by ICMA Expo attendees. This award is a testament to the wide appeal our LED cards will have in our industry as well as to the general public,” said Toni Thompson, Head of Operations. “I thank our teams for their tireless work in innovating the next generation of cards that communicate with customers during a contactless payment transaction. We are honored to receive this recognition from ICMA.”
CPI’s LED Cards feature embedded light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are activated when a card is close to a reader. The closer the card gets to the reader, the brighter the LEDs become, giving the user interactive feedback on the completion of their purchase. A power-harvesting antenna inside the card optimizes the LED light without impacting communication during the transaction.
ICMA’s Élan Awards, which included more than 130 entries this year, celebrate the pinnacle of design innovation, security and technical achievements by members of the card industry. ICMA is a global trade association for card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers.
“The Élan Awards of Excellence distinguish ICMA card manufacturers, suppliers and personalization/fulfillment members before their peers and customers as industry leaders,” said Jeffrey Barnhart, executive director and founder of ICMA. “ICMA is proud to recognize the companies that have produced the best and most innovative products around the globe over the past year. Congratulations to CPI Card Group."