Mastercard rolling out fingerprint and ‘selfie’ payment technology

Mastercard is rolling out its Identity Check Mobile, a new payment technology app that uses biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition to verify a cardholder’s identity, across Europe.

The fingerprint and ‘selfie’ payment technology will be available across 12 markets in Europe, including the UK, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, following a series of trials in the Netherlands, the US, and Canada. With further areas across the world expected to be added in phases in 2017.

The aim of the technology is to eliminate the need for cardholders to recall passwords and to simplify the process of online shopper, by allowing consumers to confirm their identity by taking a “selfie” photograph or using the fingerprint scanner on their smartphone.

“We are relentlessly focused on making the online payment experience near frictionless, without making any compromises on safety and security,” said Ajay Bhalla, president of Enterprise Risk and Security at Mastercard. “This is a significant milestone in the evolution of payments. Shopping in person has been revolutionised thanks to advances like contactless cards, mobile payments, and wearables, and now we are making Identity Check Mobile a reality for online shopping in Europe, and soon, the world.”

The move comes as other research reveals that four in 10 UK consumers now view the mobile phone as their preferred alternative to paying by card. The Mastercard Impact of Innovation study exploring consumers attitudes to technology found that Brits are ready to embrace technology when it comes to making payments, with a total of 82 percent of UK consumers regularly shopping online or using e-commerce services.

Elliott Goldenberg, head of digital payments for Mastercard UK and Ireland added: “We see the smartphone as the ‘remote control’ for consumers’ financial lives. It will be essential for authenticating transactions, controlling your account, managing payment card functions and more. It is an incredibly powerful and practical tool for payments.”

Image: Mastercard