Abstract: Systems and methods for authorizing financial transactions are described. A request for execution of the financial transaction from a requesting party includes at least one biometric signature of the requesting party and the request is authorized based on identification of the biometric signature in a repository of signatures and a history of prior transactions executed on behalf of the requesting party. The repository may include signatures stored in encrypted form on a smartcard.

Abstract: Systems and methods for programming a secured smartcard are described. An encrypted mapping is stored on the smartcard and is accessible using encryption keys, each encryption key providing an access level to the content of the mapping, providing a reference mapping and a development key to a developer. The developer may provide data files and an edited version of the reference mapping. The encrypted mapping can then be updated and the files stored on the smartcard according to the updated encrypted mapping. The developer need not know the structure and content of the encrypted mapping file. The data file may include a biometric template corresponding to an authorized user of the smartcard. The data file may additionally or alternatively comprise an application that can access encrypted files on the smartcard even if the developer of the application cannot access those same files.