More than 80 countries have implemented credit cards with smart chips in them that meet the global secure payments standard called EMV. You can find the breakdown by region by visiting EMVCo. According to the organization, 45 percent of all payment cards and 76 percent of all payment terminals in circulation globally are based on EMV technology. This means that 1.5 billion EMV payment cards are in circulation and 21.9 million EMV terminals are active worldwide. The United States is not today included in these numbers, but American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa have all announced their plans for moving to an EMV-based payments infrastructure in the U.S.

Many of the countries that have implemented EMV chip technology have also implemented PIN codes, meaning you have to enter your PIN along with your card when making a purchase. This is often referred to as “chip and PIN.” However, PIN codes are not a requirement of EMV and some countries, most notably the United States, have instead chosen to implement signatures, meaning you sign to verify your transactions.

See also,

Can I get an EMV chip card from my bank? Is it possible to request one?

What are the deadlines for EMV migration to the U.S.?