The Evolution of Self-Service PVT in Payment Cards
Self-Service PVT (Personalisation Validation Testing) in payment cards is becoming more commonplace as the major payment brands harness newer validation technologies.
Traditionally, card issuers had to physically send their products to testing centers to ensure compliance with payment scheme standards. This process could be time-consuming and costly. Now, major players like Visa have started approving self-service tools that allow card issuers, manufacturers, and personalisation bureaus to conduct these tests in-house and submit the results digitally. It is essential that the test tools provide the confidence that cards meet the rigorous data structure and security requirements imposed by the payment networks.
The History of PVT
PVT has evolved over time to adapt to the rapidly changing digital payment landscape and meet the increasing need for more stringent security. The development of the test tools was directly linked to the rise of EMV chip technology and evolving standards in card payment security.
Early EMV Standards and Testing (1990s)
In the 1990s, as EMV chip technology began replacing magnetic stripes, new standards were established by EMVCo, a consortium initially formed by Europay, Mastercard, and Visa. They created specifications to standardise the way chip cards handled security and personalisation, addressing issues like data authentication and encryption. Card personalisation required substantial manual testing to verify compliance.
Introduction of PVT Processes (Late 1990s – Early 2000s)
With the widespread adoption of EMV standards, formal PVT became a mandatory requirement for issuers to certify that their cards complied before release. Early PVT methods involved manual inspections, physical submissions, and specialised testing equipment housed in labs authorised by the card schemes. These methods were necessary to ensure that each card’s data layout, security keys, and chip profiles matched strict guidelines.
Dedicated PVT Tools (Early – Mid 2000s)
As EMV adoption expanded globally, dedicated personalisation bureaus emerged to manage large-scale card production and PVT testing for issuers. In 2000, Barnes International launched the first dedicated PVT tool, enabling labs and some large issuers to conduct more sophisticated in-house testing. Physical card submission and iterative certification were still necessary due to the complex security requirements of chip personalisation.
Automation and Self-Service PVT Tools (Mid 2010s – Present)
With improvements in chip technology and the demand for faster, cost-effective card issuance, payment networks began allowing qualified issuers and personalisation bureaus to conduct PVT in-house with self-service tools. At Barnes International we introduced advanced PVT solutions, which could perform pre-certification validation before formal submission. Self-service PVT allows issuers to submit digital test results directly to the network. This vastly reduces time-to-market and minimises iterative feedback rounds
The Advantages of Self-Service PVT
Traditionally, PVT required extensive, often manual processes, where physical cards had to be sent to payment scheme labs for compliance validation. This was both time-consuming and costly, creating bottlenecks in the production and issuance pipeline.
Self-service PVT solutions save issuers significant time and expense, as they enable them to submit digital reports directly to payment schemes instead of mailing physical cards. Visa’s recent self-service PVT program, for instance, allows the use of certified tools generate pass files for electronic submission, reducing multiple rounds of feedback and cutting down on iterative testing
Similar pre-certification testing is also becoming available for Mastercard and other regional schemes, each with specific testing requirements to ensure global standards compliance.
This shift provides a wide range of benefits to the market. There are significant cost reductions and operational efficiencies through eliminating the need to physically send cards multiple times. Also reducing carbon footprint. Plus, it enables faster adaptation to market demands and changing specifications. The flexibility offered by self-service PVT solutions supports the fast-paced demands of the payments industry. Enabling issuers to release compliant cards more swiftly while ensuring high standards of security and data accuracy.
Self-Service Test Tools
At Barnes we continue to lead the market in developing PVT tools. Our CPT platform has been qualified for multiple self-service schemes, allowing card issuers to conduct PVT in-house. These tools can perform all necessary validation tests prior to formal certification. Ensuring compliance with standards set by Visa, Mastercard, and other major payment schemes.
Contact us to find out more about our qualified self-service test tools, including the latest Visa Global Self-Service PVT.
