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What is a magnetic stripe card used for?
A magnetic stripe card is a plastic card featuring a strip of small iron-based magnetic particles on its reverse side that holds encoded information. When the card is swiped through a reader, the device scans the data to facilitate payments, monitor time, or provide physical access.
Standard Uses
- Financial cards: Credit, debit, and gift cards retain account numbers and expiration dates for transactions at point-of-sale systems.
- Access control: Hotel room keys and employee identification badges serve to unlock doors or secure specific areas.
- Identification: Student IDs, driver’s licenses, and membership cards hold user data.
- Time and attendance: Employee time-tracking cards log work hours.
- Transit: Public transport tickets store fare or pass details.
How It Works
- Tiny magnetic particles act as miniature magnets.
- Data is organized in up to three distinct tracks on the stripe
- Swiping the card past a reader head translates the magnetic pattern into digital data