EMV Chip Swap™ Procedure
“No Heat” EMV Chip Swap™ Personalization
Updated: 12.09.25
EMV Chip Swap™ Procedure – How We Personalize Your Card
Our EMV Chip Swap™ Procedure is the controlled, workshop-level process we use to personalize your existing payment card into a premium metal body. We treat your card as a one-of-a-kind item and rely on proprietary, patent-pending personalization processes that work within the limits of the technology your bank has already issued to you.
Metal-CreditCard.com does not issue new payment cards, open new accounts, or change your account terms. We simply upgrade the physical form factor of the card you already own and configure your new metal card body to work with your existing account, subject to your issuer’s policies.
Step 1: Card Intake and Inspection
When your card arrives at our lab, our technicians:
- Verify that the card matches your order information.
- Inspect the EMV chip and magnetic stripe for visible damage.
- Confirm that the card is compatible with our metal card format and EMV Chip Swap™ Procedure.
If your card is not a good candidate (for example, due to a rare or incompatible chip type; see list below), we will pause work and contact you before proceeding. This step helps protect both your account and your upgraded metal card.
Step 2: Preparing the Metal Card Body
We prepare a precision-cut metal card body that matches the layout of your original card:
- Chip window placement
- Orientation and magnetic stripe area
- Engraving or laser-marked artwork and text you’ve chosen
At this stage, we are setting up the metal body to accept the secure technology from your card — not altering your account or issuing a new card. Our focus is on physical layout and personalization, while your bank remains in full control of your account.
Step 3: EMV Chip Swap™ Personalization
For compatible cards, our technicians perform the EMV Chip Swap™ portion of the procedure. Using proprietary, patent-pending personalization methods, we integrate the secure chip elements from your existing plastic card into the metal card body:
- Our goal is to maintain the chip’s original orientation and contact surface so it can continue to communicate with EMV terminals in a way that is consistent with how your issuer designed the card.
- We do not modify your chip’s internal programming or change your account credentials at any point in the process.
If we determine that continuing the EMV Chip Swap™ would compromise the chip’s integrity or your ability to use the card reliably, we will stop the process and discuss options with you before moving forward.
Step 4: Magnetic Stripe Alignment
Where applicable, we configure the magnetic stripe area on your metal card so that it can be read by standard stripe-based terminals, in a way that is consistent with your original card’s behavior.
Our equipment and procedures are designed to work with the necessary information from your original card in a controlled, short-term manner while we complete the personalization. We do not store this information long-term and we do not generate additional working cards for the same account. The goal is to deliver a single upgraded metal card that continues to function in line with your issuer’s standards, subject to terminal hardware and merchant settings.
Step 5: Final Quality Check & Return Shipping
Before we ship your upgraded card, we complete several quality checks:
- We perform a physical check to confirm the chip is seated properly and that the metal card body is free from defects that would affect normal use at chip-insert or swipe terminals.
- We photograph your finished custom metal credit or debit card for your order record.
We then return your upgraded metal card and, when applicable, your original plastic card via the shipping method associated with your order, including tracking. We do not retain your card once the job is complete.
Important Notes & Customer Responsibilities
- Issuer relationship – Your relationship is with your bank or card issuer. You must comply with your cardholder agreement and all issuer policies when using a third-party personalization service. Your issuer may choose to reissue, replace, or update your card at any time based on their own risk and security guidelines.
- No guarantees of universal acceptance – While many customers successfully use their upgraded cards at standard EMV and swipe terminals, acceptance ultimately depends on your issuer, terminal hardware, and the settings at each merchant location. Because those factors are outside our control, we cannot guarantee that every terminal will accept a metal card.
- Tap-to-Pay (NFC) – Tap-to-pay features may not transfer to a metal body in the same way as your original plastic card. For this reason, we generally recommend using your mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) for contactless payments where supported, and treating the metal card as your primary chip/swipe option.
RFID Contactless Touch Pass / Pay Wave Logo. - Card replacements – If your bank issues you a new card number, expiration date, or chip, your metal body will no longer match the updated credentials. In that case, you may need to order another personalization to continue using a metal card for that updated account profile.
Large EMV Chip Types
The following Large EMV Chip types can be processed by MCC, with two exceptions. See list below. Large chips are approximately 13 mm by 12 mm.
