Chip Technology

Chip technology (also referred to as EMV for Europay, Mastercard, Visa) is a micro-chip built into VACU credit and debit cards which improves the global usability and security of your card when used at a merchant with an active chip-card reader.

At Virginia Credit Union, your security is our top priority. In an effort to make all of your debit card transactions as secure as possible, we are reissuing you a new card with EMV chip technology.

Your new debit card with EMV chip technology has a new card number so that the old card cannot be used once you activate your new card.

With your new card you will receive information about the deactivation date for your old card. If you do not activate your new card by the deactivation date, your old card will be automatically deactivated on that date.

We have added chip technology because it has greater worldwide acceptance and because it offers greater cardholder security. Chip technology is used in more than 80 countries around the world and is beginning to be used in the U.S.

The chip contains encrypted information that makes it difficult for the card to be counterfeited. In addition, at merchants that use chip terminals, the card and terminal work together to add an additional layer of security to the transaction.

Yes, your card will have both a chip and a magnetic stripe. It can be used at both chip terminals and magnetic stripe terminals as a “swipe” transaction.

Yes, chip cards provide a higher level of security when used at a merchant's chip enabled terminal. The encrypted chip uses several measures that create a complex level of security, making a chip card difficult to counterfeit.

Yes, your VACU credit and debit cards can be used worldwide. Your credit card can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted and your debit card can be used wherever debit is accepted.

At the bottom of a merchant’s card terminal, there is a slot where you would insert your chip-enabled card. That’s a different place from the traditional “swipe” reader.

Insert the chip portion of your card into the reader with the chip facing up, and leave it there for the entire transaction. Then follow the on-screen prompts to complete your transaction.

At all other merchants who have not yet installed or activated the chip reader, nothing changes. You can use your card as you normally would. Present your card to the merchant, swipe it through a conventional reader or provide your card details by phone or online.

All Virginia Credit Union credit and debit cards support chip technology.

Your VACU Mastercard credit card is Chip and Signature. Both Chip and Signature and Chip and PIN are more secure ways to pay with your credit card at merchants that have chip compatible terminals. Chip and Signature requires your signature at the end of the transaction, just like your current magnetic stripe card does. Chip and PIN transactions use a four-digit PIN on transactions.

Your chip-enabled credit card is “Chip and Signature.” When you use your card, you will be required to provide your signature at the end of the transaction, just like with your current magnetic stripe card.

Your VACU Mastercard debit card is Chip and PIN. Both Chip and Signature and Chip and PIN are more secure ways to pay with your credit card at merchants that have chip compatible terminals. Chip and PIN transactions use a four-digit PIN on transactions and will be applicable for most debit card transactions. Some debit card transactions my require a signature based on the type of terminal being used.

You will encounter chip card enabled point-of-sale terminals outside the U.S. and at an increasing number of U.S. retailers as they implement them.