Spanish bank BBVA is currently trialling new facial biometric technology to make payments ‘invisible’ at its headquarters’ in-house cafés and restaurants.

Developed alongside Sodexo Iberia, the new payment system forms part of BBVA’s strategy to transform in-store purchases for customers. BBVA employees are currently able to order a coffee through a mobile app, pick it up without having to wait in line, and pay for it without their wallets.

The next step in developing the project will be the integration of facial biometric technology, based on technology from Veridas – a joint venture between BBVA and Das-Nano in 2017. The system recognises the user’s face through cameras equipped with artificial intelligence, and directly charges the card associated with their profile.

Ignacio Bañón, BBVA’s head of global payments, commented: “With this project, we’re eliminating the friction points for customers when they make a purchase in a store. They avoid lines, and have a more digital experience with better information.

“The system benefits both the customer, who doesn’t require as much service, and the restaurant, which no longer has to manually charge the customer.”

BBVA is also implementing a customer loyalty solution within the app, featuring promotions and rewards. The app, which has been downloaded by more than 1,000 employees within one month of launch, now accounts for 10 per cent of sales made at one of the bank’s in-store coffee shops.

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