The NFC ecosystem
In all the excitement around NFC, we might forget it’s been around for many years and that there are some established players in this space. This NFC Ecosystem’s players each have a particular role or interest. We’ve compiled a gallery strip to illustrate the major ones. In this representation, consumers are referred to as the “end user”.

App Developers

design and market applications that use NFC. In addition, they can also integrate the app with the TSM on behalf of a Service Provider for secure applications

NFC Chip Manufacturer 

NFC Chip Manufacturer design & sell chips integrated into handsets. These chips handle security & NFC radio comms

Handset Manufacturer

Handset Manufacturers design, manufacture and market NFC-enabled mobile handsets

Trusted Service Manager

Trusted Services Managers provide secure IT services to app issuers, like banks, loyalty cards, connecting them to MNO to show the balance of a credit card, details of a transaction just made, or download an app onto a Secure Element

Mobile Network Operators

Mobile Network Operators is the company from which you get your mobile phone service

Service Providers

Service Providers represent the banks, financial institutions and other card issuers like loyalty card and coupons. They have the account info, though not usually the IT knowledge to connect to handsets through an MNO

UICC Manufacturers

UICC Manufacturers design and market SIM cards with some variations that have NFC built in