In the examples provided herein, a vascular pattern recognition system integrated onto a portable card includes a vascular pattern detection system to obtain image data of blood vessels of a finger to be swiped across a detection area on the portable card, wherein the vascular pattern detection system includes a near infrared light source and an image sensor array. The vascular pattern recognition system also includes an image processor to process the image data to generate a scanned vascular pattern and compare the scanned vascular pattern to a pre-stored pattern stored on the portable card to authenticate the image data, and a security processor to generate a transaction code to authorize a transaction upon authentication of the image data.