UAE Emirates ID will replace bank cards

Are you tired of carrying multiple bank cards and remembering personal identification numbers (PIN)? Your plight will end soon.

The national ID card issued by Emirates Identity Authority (Emirates ID) will soon replace ATM and credit cards. National ID cards will be used for financial transactions as part of a cooperation agreement between Emirates ID and financial institutions, a senior official told Gulf News on Monday.

“The ID card will be used for authentication processes to verify the identity of the cardholder. The ATMs [machines] or credit card terminals will process the financial transactions,” Dr Ali Al Khoury, Director General of Emirates ID, said.

“The pilot results will be announced within six moths [in the second quarter of 2014], and depending on the results, the plan will be implemented,” he said.

Once ATMs are configured to read the national ID card, one can use it at ATMs, choose a linked account and withdraw the money and carry out other banking transactions.