MasterCard deploys biometric verification

Mastercard has deployed Identity Check Mobile in Europe, a new payment technology application that uses biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition to verify a cardholder’s identity.

The technology is now being introduced across 12 markets in Europe including the UK, Germany Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.

Aimed at simplifying online shopping, the deployment follows a series of successful trials in the Netherlands, the US, and Canada. The technology will be rolled out across the world in phases in 2017.

The move comes after trials and research discovered European consumers prefer biometric payments to current systems that rely on passwords.

While existing identity verification methods typically take shoppers away from a retailer’s website or mobile app, where they are often required to remember and enter a password, Mastercard Identity Check Mobile eliminates the need for cardholders to recall passwords, dramatically speeding up the digital checkout experience while also improving security. Instead, cardholders can verify their identities by using the fingerprint scanner on their smartphone or via facial recognition technology by taking a “selfie” photo.

“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 & Security, Mastercard.

“This is a significant milestone in the evolution of payments. Shopping in person has been revolutionized 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.”