BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Showing a sign of faith in consumers and citing the importance of providing customers and retailers with optimal security and fraud protection, First Niagara Financial Group Inc. is  issuing credit and debit cards armed with state-of-the-art chip-and-PIN security technology.

“This significant investment in chip-and-PIN technology affirms our commitment to improving security and peace of mind for our customers and the retailers with whom they conduct business,” said Justin Bigham, First Niagara’s head of consumer product management, in a press release. “We believe this positions First Niagara among the leaders in the banking industry when it comes to card security and fraud prevention.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that First Niagara is bucking the banking industry trend, “in which the vast majority of banks and others issuing new chip cards have chosen the signature option, even though merchants say that PINs are more secure.”

The news source continues by saying that although chip and PIN cards are used in most other countries, U.S. bank executives say they don’t believe Americans “want to be burdened” with remembering another four-digit code. However Bigham said First Niagara is moving forward with chip and PIN because it’s better for customers. “It was not a quick decision,” he said.

First Niagara began its rollout of new cards this month and expects to convert the majority of its card portfolio in early 2016. Customers may continue to use their existing cards until they receive and activate new chip and PIN cards. While there is no requirement to issue chip cards by any specific date, First Niagara says it wants to ensure its customers have the best fraud protection available as soon as possible.

The Buffalo-based bank’s decision is drawing praise from retail groups, notes the Wall Street Journal: “If they are issuing credit cards with chips and PINs, then they deserve kudos from the retailers and consumers everywhere,” said Mallory Duncan, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Retail Federation, a merchant trade group.

Bigham said he has tested the PIN method on his own card and found it to be a faster transaction. “I didn’t have to wait for a receipt that I needed to sign,” he told the news source.