Bank Muscat introduces chip & PIN debit cards

Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has marked the distribution of 500,000 chip & personal identification number (PIN) debit cards featuring advanced security for day-to-day payments and cash withdrawals. The new card is designed to make everyday purchases easier, and provides access to the bank’s network of 153 branches, ATMs and cash deposit machines (CDMs) across Oman.

The chip-based cards provide additional security for transactions through requiring the use of a PIN at point of sale terminals. While new customers automatically receive the Chip & PIN card, all Bank Muscat debit cardholders will automatically migrate to the new card at the time of renewal. With the new technology, cardholders are required to enter a four-digit PIN, instead of a signature, to verify payments at terminals that are chip & PIN compliant.

The cards are additionally protected with Verified by Visa security. Customers also receive alerts on mobile phones for transactions made using the card. Cardholders can take advantage of this service after registering their mobile numbers with the bank.