[scintill76]

At least when I researched about a year ago, it's uncommon to get a true chip-and-PIN in the US. Most of the chips are chip-and-signature.

[stephengillie]

How is chip-and-signature different from the current policy where the buyer (sometimes, decreasingly) has to sign for credit purchases?

[scintill76]

I think it's just that it's more resistant to card cloning. The payment terminal makes the chip authenticate itself in some way that run-of-the-mill carders with a card printer and magstripe writer can't counterfeit. I guess the chip or the payment network then request the cardholder's signature, rather than the PIN that chip-and-PIN use.