Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
Once again, I will try to be the voice of reason. We've discussed this constantly. If, and it is becoming more and more evident at least to me, that the original reason for introducing emv when this thread started over 2 years ago was the increasing difficulty in using non emv compliant cards i.e. magnetic strip cards and for the most part that problem has been solved, why is it so important for some whether the card be signature priority or pin priority.
I don't think that was the reason. The reason was increasing fraud in the US (Target, Home Depot, etc.) due to other countries switching to EMV and fraudsters shifting their attention to the last remaining easy target.
If the reason was international compatibility, then banks would simply have to issue chipped cards to international travelers on request, or put chips in their travel-oriented products. That isn't much of a reason to switch over the whole country.
However, I agree with you that chip-and-signature basically solves the international compatibility issue. Perhaps a wave of stolen-card fraud will cause the US to adapt PINs, but I doubt it.