STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has unveiled a secure NFC chip designed to make home networks faster and easier to install and scale, leveraging the latest Matter smart-home standard. ST’s ST25DA-C chip lets users 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 fulfilling newly published enhancements in Matter—the latest open-source standard 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 to serve consumers who increasingly prioritize 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 adoption of connected devices. The new STMicroelectronics’ ST25DA-C secure NFC chip is one example of 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.

Technical information

Enhanced usability: ST’s new NFC Forum Type 4 chip significantly improves the user experience, leveraging NFC technology present in most smartphone devices. NFC-enabled device commissioning is faster, more reliable, and secure compared to conventional pairing using technologies such as Bluetooth® or QR codes, which are not always possible.

The ST25DA-C secure NFC tag can operate cryptographic operations required for Matter device commissioning using energy harvesting from the RF field. This mechanism allows users to jump-start adding unpowered devices to the smart home network. It also simplifies the installation of multiple accessories in parallel.

Focused on security: The ST25DA-C brings strong security to smart homes, leveraging ST’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).

Availability: The ST25DA-C is available for evaluation and sampling in a tiny DFN8 package, with mass production scheduled to begin in 2026. Detailed documentation, engineering samples, and evaluation kits are available through local ST sales representatives.