Starting early next year, New York State will be issuing new, more secure chip-based EBT cards as part of ongoing effort to protect SNAP recipients' benefits from theft. Governor Kathy Hochul says the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance recently finalized a contract with a vendor to provide the cards that are expected to greatly limit theft of benefits by criminals who use illegal skimming devices. Fidelity Information Services, LLC (FIS) will provide the new cards, which utilize chip technology that is standard with commercial debit and credit cards. The Federal Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system, which is used nationally to distribute and use SNAP benefits, only recently gained the ability to accept chip cards. The new cards will begin being issued to recipients in the first quarter of 2027.
