RFID Key Fobs
A contactless tag or key fob built on NXP MIFARE DESFire, offering AES cryptography and a multi-application file structure for access control, transit and cashless systems. Available in ABS, PC, FR4 and wood. Confirm the DESFire generation, memory and encoding, then test a sample before ordering.
Free standard samples · Quotation within one business day
The DESFire Tag is equipped with sophisticated cryptographic algorithms, is resistant to cloning and tampering. It suits applications that need resistance to cloning and tampering.
Supports multiple applications on a single DESFire tag, allowing for easy expansion and future upgrades.
The tags pair a DESFire chip with a tuned antenna for reliable reading at close range; confirm the read distance with your reader.
| Item | DESFire Tag |
| Material | ABS, PC, FR4, wood, etc. |
| Chip | DESFire 8k EV2, 70PF |
| Frequency | 13.56MHZ |
| Protocol | ISO14443 |
| Color | White. Black, green, blue, etc., can be customized. |
| Size | 45*30*2.5mm customized. |
| Reading distance | 2–4 cm, depending on the reader |
| Write Endurance | 100000 times |
| Working Temperature | Confirmed per body in the quotation |
| Data Retention Time | 10 years |
| Printing Options | Silk-screen printing, UV printing, etc |
| Crafts Available | laser engraving, Bar code, QR code, etc. |
Printed PVC Tag coated with transparent epoxy
Most durable key fob with DESFire chip
DESFire keyfob with simple and strong design
A DESFire tag pairs an NXP MIFARE DESFire IC with a tuned antenna in a key fob, disc or industrial housing instead of an ID-1 card body. The chip works at 13.56 MHz on the ISO/IEC 14443 Type A air interface and communicates with the ISO/IEC 14443-4 transmission protocol. Data is held in an application-and-file structure addressed with ISO/IEC 7816-4 commands, and each application is protected by hardware cryptography: DES, 2K3DES and 3K3DES for compatibility, and AES with 128-bit keys for current designs. It is the same IC used in our MIFARE DESFire EV2 cards and the wider MIFARE DESFire family; a DESFire tag is simply that chip in a fob or tag form factor.
DESFire is a chip family, not a single part. The generations share the 13.56 MHz ISO/IEC 14443 Type A interface, the ISO/IEC 7816-4 file commands and the DES/2K3DES/3K3DES/AES engine, and each newer chip keeps a backward-compatibility mode for the one before it. Confirm the exact generation and memory your system was built for; a label on a finished tag does not prove which chip is inside.
| Generation | Memory options | Notes |
| MIFARE DESFire EV1 | 2 KB / 4 KB / 8 KB | Up to 28 applications, Common Criteria EAL4+; NXP marks it not recommended for new designs |
| MIFARE DESFire EV2 | 2 KB / 4 KB / 8 KB | Adds multiple key sets, Transaction MAC and Proximity Check; EAL5+; not recommended for new designs, superseded by EV3 |
| MIFARE DESFire EV3 | 2 KB / 4 KB / 8 KB | Adds Secure Dynamic Messaging (SUN) and a Transaction Timer; EAL5+; NXP's recommended part for new designs |
NXP rates the DESFire EV2 IC for 25-year data retention and a typical 500,000 write cycles; the finished-tag figures in the table above are conservative construction values. The tags on this page are built by default around the DESFire EV2 8K chip in its 70 pF version, but we match the generation and memory to your reader and application. For the full EV1/EV2/EV3 comparison, reader-compatibility checklist and cloning notes, see the MIFARE DESFire EV2 cards page.
A fob or disc carries a smaller antenna than an ID-1 card, so the read range is shorter — a few centimetres at a typical access reader. NXP offers each DESFire memory size as a standard 17 pF part for card-sized antennas and as a 70 pF “H” part (for example MF3DH82) tuned for the small antennas used in fobs, discs and wristbands, so the tag body and the chip variant are chosen together. Read range always depends on the reader and its antenna at least as much as on the tag, so test the intended reader with a sample before a bulk order rather than relying on a quoted distance.
The same DESFire chip goes into several tag bodies: an ABS key fob for everyday access, an epoxy-coated disc for badges and phone cases, and an FR4 tag for the most durable industrial use. Wood and PC bodies are available for brands that want a different finish. Choose the body for the environment — FR4 and ABS for daily handling and outdoor gates, epoxy for a slim adhesive tag — and the antenna is matched to the body so the read range stays consistent across a batch.
A reader that shows a tag number has only read the UID; it has not authenticated to a DESFire application. Before standardising on a DESFire tag, confirm these points with your reader or lock vendor.
We produce DESFire tags and fobs with genuine NXP chips in our Shenzhen factory, built to your specification, with silk-screen or UV printing, laser engraving, barcodes, QR codes and serial numbering available for the selected body and material; serial-numbered tags are supplied with an Excel, CSV or XML record of each tag's UID and the number marked on it (see the RFID encoding service). Free standard samples are available for reader testing (a customised sample carries a setup fee), and the standard lead time is two to three weeks after the artwork and specification are approved. Pricing is by quotation. Send the DESFire generation and memory, the reader model, the tag body and quantity through the inquiry form, by email or on WhatsApp, and we confirm the exact part and its availability in the quotation. We do not supply access-control readers, locks or software, and we do not duplicate credentials from systems the buyer does not administer. Related choices: MIFARE DESFire EV2 cards, the MIFARE DESFire family, MIFARE Classic cards and RFID key fobs for access control.
Technical references: NXP MIFARE DESFire EV2 product page, the DESFire EV2 short data sheet and the NXP DESFire EV3 page. Chip documentation describes IC capabilities; it does not establish stock or a finished tag's compatibility with your system.
DESFire is a family: EV1, EV2 and EV3 share the interface but differ in features and certification. The tags are built by default around DESFire EV2 8K, but we match the generation and memory (2K, 4K or 8K) to your reader and application. NXP recommends EV3 for new designs and marks EV1 and EV2 as not recommended for new designs, so tell us which chip your system was qualified for.
A fob or disc carries a smaller antenna than a card, so a typical access reader reads it at a few centimetres. Read range depends on the reader and its antenna as much as on the tag. Match the 70 pF “H” chip variant to a small tag body and test the intended reader with a sample before ordering.
A properly keyed DESFire application has no publicly known practical clone: the chip protects each application with AES-128 (or 3DES) mutual authentication, so the card and reader prove they share a key without transmitting it. General NFC tools can read the UID and any unprotected data but cannot recover the keys. Do not build access control on the UID alone; enrol and verify each tag through its authenticated application.
Only if that is agreed. A tag in its factory-default or transport state carries no project application or enrolment, although the chip still has its default configuration and key material. Decide whether we deliver tags in that state for your own issuing process or pre-personalise them to an agreed application and file plan, and who loads the production keys. After pre-personalisation each tag is read again before packing, and the order includes a data report. Encoding is performed only for the organisation that administers the system.
ABS fobs suit everyday access; FR4 tags are the most durable for industrial use and outdoor gates; epoxy discs give a slim adhesive tag for badges and phone cases; wood and PC bodies are available for a different finish. The antenna is matched to the body so read range is consistent across the batch.
Only if the readers implement the ISO/IEC 14443-4 protocol, the DESFire command set and the secure-messaging mode and keys your application uses. Detecting the chip or reading its UID does not prove that. Confirm the reader firmware and test a sample end to end before a bulk order.
Send the product, quantity and application so we can confirm the options and pricing for your project.
