Facial recognition systems for retail payment launched in Spain, trialed in Australia, company acquired

Australian fintech company RoyalPay is planning to bring facial recognition payments into the country’s mainstream commercial sector, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

A point of sale (POS) terminal developed by the company captures a short video of a customer blinking, and then provides access to a digital wallet stored by RoyalPay. The company says it has invested “a few million dollars” on the software, but outsources the hardware manufacturing to Sunmi, which makes Alipay’s facial recognition terminals. All data is stored in Australia, according to the company.

Vendor trials have already started, and RoyalPay expects its technology to be available at roughly 100 locations in Sydney and Melbourne within the next six months.

RoyalPay began by setting up Australian retailers to support WeChat Pay and Alipay to they could reach the Chinese market.

A Barcelona grocery store, meanwhile, has launched a facial recognition terminal for payments from CaixaBank, Nestle Market and the Payment Innovation Hub, according to Retail Banker International.

During a three-month trial, customers of the Nestle Market store will be able to pay without using a credit card, phone or cash. How the technology fares during the busy Christmas shopping season will be watched closely. Customers must register beforehand with the Face to Pay Nestle Market app, and take a selfie with the system’s camera at checkout.

Also in facial recognition retail payments, CaixaBank introduced a line of facial recognition ATMs earlier this year leveraging biometric technology from FacePhi and Fujitsu.

Cannabidiol (CBD) products company Emerald Organic Products has reached an agreement to acquire a 51 percent controlling stake in biometric vending machine maker Bezalel’s Jewelry.

“Emerald Organic Products’ all stock transaction with Bezalel’s will allow Emerald to immediately begin deploying and offering a Patent protected unique vending machine in select markets,” comments Emerald Organic Products, Inc. Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Ian Parker. “These unique vending machines employ facial recognition software and can positively identify people with I.D. from 143 countries worldwide. This allows for the vending of age restricted, and identity restricted products.”

Parker added that the machines’ presentation provides an exiting opportunity for HD advertising.

The companies cite a recent market report from Technavio suggesting the global vending machine market will grow at a 17 percent CAGR from 2019 to 2023.

Bezalel’s technology is designed for use with any restricted products requiring age or identity verification, including prescription drugs.

Article Topics

Australia  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  fintech  |  POS  |  Spain  |  vending machine