STMicroelectronics has unveiled a secure NFC chip designed to make home networks faster, easier to install, and easier to scale, employing the latest Matter smart-home standard. Its ST25DA-C chip allows users to add lighting, access control, security cameras, or any IoT device to their home network in one step by tapping their phone. The chip is the first commercial solution to implement the newly published Matter enhancements – the latest open-source standard that is now making smart home devices secure, reliable, and seamless to use.
“The integration of NFC-based onboarding in Matter 1.5 is a timely enhancement to the smart home experience. Our market-first ST25DA-C chip leverages this capability to simplify device commissioning through tap-to-pair functionality. This reduces setup complexity, especially for installations that are difficult to access, thanks to NFC-enabled battery-less connectivity. This aligns well with the broader momentum in the smart home market, where consumers increasingly prioritise ease of use, interoperability, and security. NFC-enabled Matter devices are positioned to play a key role in driving even greater adoption,” said David Richetto, Group VP, division general manager, Connected Security at STMicroelectronics.
“Matter is an important standard for the smart-home industry, enabling seamless communication across devices, mobile apps, and cloud services. Its primary benefit is simplifying technology for non-expert consumers, which could help accelerate the adoption of connected devices. The new STMicroelectronics’ ST25DA-C secure NFC chip is one example of a next-generation chipset that supports this standard, providing device makers with tools to develop the next generation of smart-home products,” said Shobhit Srivastava, senior principal analyst at Omdia.
The company’s new NFC Forum Type 4 chip greatly improves the user experience by leveraging the NFC technology present in most smartphones. NFC-enabled device commissioning is faster, more reliable, and more secure than conventional pairing using technologies such as Bluetooth or QR codes, which may not be available.
This secure NFC tag can operate cryptographic operations needed for Matter device commissioning using energy harvesting from the RF field. This mechanism enables users to jump-start adding unpowered devices to the smart home network. It also simplifies the installation of multiple accessories in parallel.
The ST25DA-C brings strong security to smart homes, employing the company’s proven expertise in embedded secure elements for protecting assets with device authentication, secure storage for cryptographic keys, certificates, and network credentials.
Based on Common Criteria-certified hardware, the ST25DA-C also targets certification to the GlobalPlatform Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms (SESIP level 3). The chip is available for evaluation and sampling in a tiny DFN8 package, with mass production scheduled to begin in 2026.
