Metal payment cards have become a hallmark of premium credit card products, combining distinctive design with enhanced functionality to create a more memorable customer experience. While rewards and benefits remain the primary drivers of card selection, the physical card itself can reinforce a brand’s premium positioning. At the same time, the growing adoption of contactless payments has made dual-interface cards an increasingly important feature across both credit and debit portfolios.
The introduction of CPI Card Group’s contactless tungsten card reflects these converging trends. By pairing the durability and tactile appeal of a metal card with tap-to-pay capabilities, issuers can deliver a premium payment experience while meeting consumers’ expectations for speed, convenience, and flexibility at the point of sale.
CPI Card Group recently announced that it is adding a contactless tungsten card to its encased metal card portfolio. The tungsten card is a weighty card at approximately four times that of a standard plastic card, which provides a tactile feel. The card is functionally considered to be dual-interface, allowing cardholders to swipe, dip, and tap to pay.
Metal cards add a luxury feel to the card and are typically found in premium card products like the American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Capital One Venture X cards. As brands seek new ways to attract consumers, metal solutions offer a way to differentiate the card portfolio and generate loyalty.
The addition of dual-interface gives consumers more ways to pay, and dovetails with trends in contactless card payments that accelerated over the pandemic1. Credit card products have been historically the leaders in tap-to-pay functionality but issuers are now starting to convert debit card portfolios into dual-interface. Javelin Strategy & Research found that last year, 57% of consumers owned one or more debit cards that had a tap-to-pay feature as compared to 59% of credit cards. Tap-to-pay isn’t just for premium credit cards anymore.
I personally own a metal credit card, and there is something about its rigidity and weight that makes it feel like a premium product. There is also something satisfying about the audible clank when I put my card on the POS to initiate a contactless payment.
As payment cards continue to evolve, issuers are looking beyond rewards to differentiate their products through design, materials, and payment technology. Metal payment cards equipped with contactless functionality offer a compelling combination of prestige and everyday convenience that appeals to many consumers. While once reserved for elite credit products, these innovations are increasingly influencing broader card portfolios as financial institutions compete to strengthen customer loyalty and enhance the overall payment experience.
- https://www.bis.org/statistics/payment_stats/commentary2112.htm ↩︎
