Systems and methods are described that provide a new type of application load unit for use in the secure loading of applications and/or data onto integrated circuit cards or smart cards. Plaintext key transformation units can be created for each of a plurality of smart cards that are to be loaded with a desired or selected application. A plaintext key transformation unit may be individually encrypted using the public keys associated with target smart cards. An application provider can create one or more application load unit using known means and can then create one or more additional plaintext key transformation unit, one for each target smart card using corresponding public keys which can be obtained taken from a database of card public keys.