As emphasized by Marta Życińska, general director of Mastercard in Poland, Poland is the first country in Europe to be included in the Mastercard Biometric Checkout program, which allows technology companies and fintechs to “create innovative projects together.” “This program was created to properly certify our partners and make sure that what we release on the market as part of these innovations is, above all, safe (…)” – she explained.
The Polish company created this solution from scratch
Marta Życińska recalled that in 2007, Poland was one of the first markets in the world where the first contactless payment card transaction took place. She added that currently “virtually 100 percent of transactions” are carried out contactless.
Representatives of Mastercard, PayEye and Empik informed that from June 12 this year. at selected Empik chain points, it will be possible to authorize payments using iris and facial biometric fusion technology. It was reported that the introduction of this technology is the result of a joint pilot project of these three companies. The solution will allow you to pay for purchases using an iris and face scan, without the need to use a physical payment card, phone or watch.
“We are (…) proud that we provide (…) the first technology in the world based on the fusion of biometrics, i.e. two biometric factors, thanks to which we are the most advanced and safest solution. We are even more pleased that – as a Polish a company that created such a solution from scratch – after six years (…) of very long and hard work, we have the absolute honor to be part of this program (…),” said Daniel Jarząb, head of PayEye.
“Paying with your eyes” is a new revolution
Daniel Jarząb said that “paying with your eyes” is – in his opinion – a new revolution which, after contactless payments, “is probably the biggest revolution that the world is currently facing.” He also emphasized that the type of payment introduced to the Polish market, i.e. a combination of iris and face scanning, is the first in the world.
Jarząb explained that this type of transaction authorization requires the installation of an application on a smartphone, which in the first step requires taking a selfie. The photo is processed into an encrypted token that is transferred to the database. During the first transaction, it is necessary to provide the telephone number and PIN (previously created on the smartphone) and look at the terminal. Then the biometric pattern is downloaded, then tokenized, encrypted and combined with the selfie from the phone – he explained.
According to the president of the Empik group, Ewa Szmidt, the new type of payment will be available in Empik stores in the Westfield Mokotów shopping center in Warsaw, Aleja Bielany in Wrocław, the Posnania shopping center in Poznań, Galeria Kazimierz in Kraków and the M1 Czeladź shopping center. She added that the pilot will last at least three months with the possibility of extension.
Author: Bartłomiej Pawlak
