‘Pay with Smile’ facial recognition trial rolled out in London that lets shoppers pay with ‘just a glance’

Revolut’s facial recognition checkout is being trialled at certain cafes in Bloomsbury, Chelsea and Soho

Revolut has launched an innovative in-store facial recognition payment system, allowing shoppers to complete transactions with a “simple glance”. The rollout is being trialled at three central London locations from today (Thursday, September 24).

The Pay with Smile feature will be accessible for in-store purchases through a Revolut Register terminal.

At participating Revolut Register locations, shoppers will select Pay with Smile on a display to undergo a facial identity check, comparable to unlocking a mobile device or entering a banking application. Facial technology will then authenticate the user’s identity by cross-referencing identity verification filled out during the customer’s Revolut registration to authorise and complete a payment.

To access this feature, shoppers must deliberately opt in by activating Revolut Pay with Smile within their Revolut app preferences. The bank confirmed that customers will not be automatically enrolled, and permission can be withdrawn at any point.

Revolut stated it encrypts facial recognition information end-to-end, and personal details will not be retained by retailers. When verification succeeds and a positive match is confirmed, an account-to-account transaction is approved.

The feature is being trialled in London from Thursday. The Revolut Register terminal can also be purchased by retailers from Thursday.

Revolut announced it is providing 0% processing charges on Revolut Pay with Smile transactions, which it stated will help alleviate pressures on independent businesses. Revolut customers in London will initially have the opportunity to trial the innovative technology at Kiss the Hippo cafes in Bloomsbury, Chelsea and Soho between September 24 and 26.

Alex Codina, general manager of merchant payments at Revolut Business, commented: “By combining high-performance processing with facial recognition technology, we’re replacing outdated, fragmented tills with a hyper-efficient checkout experience designed to solve consumer and merchant pain points.”

Alex Damgaci, managing director at Kiss the Hippo Coffee, added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming guests to try Pay with Smile at our Bloomsbury, Soho and Chelsea cafes before we roll out across all 12 of our cafes later this year.”

Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.