September 29, 2026, 6:05 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Cards, smartphones, or smartwatches could soon become obsolete. The digital bank Revolut is currently testing a payment method in London where only a face is needed to authorize a payment.
The digital bank Revolut has conducted a pilot test for biometric payments with “Pay with Smile.” Until September 26, 2026, customers could use the feature in selected Kiss the Hippo café locations in London. Participants needed to activate facial payment in the Revolut app beforehand.
Also of interest: Revolut has shared sensitive customer data with fraudsters
The new payment authorization works as follows: At the checkout, customers select the new payment method on the display. The camera then captures the face and matches it with the data Revolut collected during the identity verification at account opening. If the match is successful, the system authorizes the payment. If recognition fails, payment by card or cash remains an option.
What Happens to the Facial Data
Before each payment, the technology first checks if a real person is in front of the camera. Revolut aims to prevent fraudsters from using photos or masks. The system then converts the captured image into an encrypted code, according to the company.
Revolut uses this code solely for verification and deletes it afterward. However, the company retains the actual photo on its servers. This is intended to help the bank trace potential fraud cases or disputes regarding a payment. How long the images are stored is not specified in the privacy notice. According to Revolut, participating cafés do not have access to their customers’ facial data.
QR Codes Remain Number One
The information collected in the pilot project is currently being evaluated. However, the technology is not entirely new. As early as 2017, Alipay introduced facial payments in a restaurant in China. Since then, other businesses have adopted the method. Nevertheless, facial scans still play only a minor role in everyday life there.
According to a survey published in 2026, 93.1 percent of mobile payment service users regularly rely on QR codes. In contrast, only 22.9 percent regularly use biometric methods such as facial or fingerprint scans. Revolut is cautiously approaching the topic. The test is currently running only in selected locations in Bloomsbury, Soho, and Chelsea. By 2026, the feature is expected to be available in all twelve Kiss the Hippo cafés. Whether Revolut will introduce facial payments in Germany remains uncertain.