By the end of this year, 1.2bn smart cards will be in use worldwide and Europe now accounts for 75% of the global market, according to a report by analysts Datamonitor. They believe that magnetic strip cards will soon begin to disappear from the high street. At present, 60% of cards are in the telecoms sector but health and financial services will provide the big growth areas. The US remains resistant to smart cards, although they are used by government organizations, large corporations and state bodies for uses ranging from personal ID to access to food stamps.
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