VTB & Visa Launch a Service for ‘Paying with a Glance’

VTB and Visa have launched a service to pay for orders in the network of culinary shops based in St Petersburg (KiO Kitchen) without using a smartphone or card. The service is implemented on the basis of the ‘O.Pay’ solution, with facial recognition technologies from O.Vision, a member of VTB’s corporate accelerator.

To connect the service, the client must install the application O.Vision to their smartphone (iOS and Android versions are available) and go through the procedure of registering a phone number and saving facial biometrics, linking the payment card to the service. All outlets of the KiO Kitchen network are equipped with special terminals for paying, where customers need to look into the camera. The service is available to cardholders of any payment system and issuing banks.

The O.Vision identification algorithm is tested on a biometric registration database of more than 1 million people, which ensures the correct operation of the service. In less than a second, the request goes through several stages of processing in the system, from identifying the client’s face to verifying its authenticity and making a payment decision.

Customers can pay without using a smartphone or a card. For the retail outlets, the service expands the range of contactless payment methods available to customers and speeds up the service process. When paying with a glance on a Visa card in the first four months after the launch of the service, customers are given a 20% discount on the order.

Yulia Kopytova, Head of the Department of Analysis, Coordination and Product Development, Senior Vice President of VTB Bank, said “Cashless payments are steadily replacing cash payments. As part of its digital transformation, VTB is working on contactless payment services using the latest developments. New solutions allow trade and service enterprises not only to improve the user experience, but also to provide additional opportunities for the development of their own ecosystem in future. For example, you can use the ‘pay with a glance’ service as part of loyalty programs. The customer will not need to download special applications or receive a discount card from the store; it will be enough to just look at the camera at the terminal when paying.”

Sergey Bezbogov, Head of the Department of Management and Coordination of Technological Changes at VTB Bank, said “VTB is carrying out large-scale digital transformation and implementing innovative solutions that allow the bank to develop faster than the market, build an open ecosystem, simplify and accelerate interaction with partners, the state, and businesses. VTB uses a corporate accelerator to search for and test innovative solutions for technology startups. The pilot with O.Vision will allow us to test the facial recognition technology for payment, and evaluate the maturity, accuracy, and speed of recognition algorithms that ensure the security of payments. The solution has a built-in anti-spoofing system, which avoids the possibility of identity substitution when paying by facial biometrics. The identification algorithm analyzes many parameters and minimizes the probability of false admission.”

Yuri Topunov, Head of Visa’s Products Department in Russia, said “Payment using biometrics is becoming more common and popular among consumers. According to Visa data, two-thirds of customers (70%) consider biometric payments to be an easier way to make payments. At the same time, 46% of consumers call them not only convenient, but also a more reliable way to protect personal payment data when making purchases. We are confident that the new service will help consumers make payments faster, safer, and more convenient.”

More than 50,000 people use O. Vision technology every day. By implementing the O.Pay system, there are plans to double the number of users by the end of 2021.