NatWest has announced the launch of a new biometric payment approval feature, which allows business and commercial banking customers to make payments of any size through their Bankline Mobile app using Face ID or Touch ID, without the need for a card reader.

The new feature also allows businesses to authorise multiple users to setup payments, which business owners can then subsequently approve on the go through their app.

Once customers have registered their device, they can then set up and approve a payment using biometric authentication - such as Face ID or Touch ID - before entering their six digit Bankline Mobile Keycode to complete the process.

The bank has worked with external partners to ensure that the new feature is secure and complies fully with the second Payment Service Directive (PSD2) regulations that govern Secure Customer Authentication, due to come into effect later this year.

The lender is initially rolling the improvement out to iOS users today, with availability on Android and other platforms expected to follow in the second half of the year.

James Holian, chief operating officer for commercial and private banking at NatWest, says: “We know that ease, speed and security are important to our customers, and that’s why we’re excited to be the first UK bank to offer biometric payments of any size, through our Bankline Mobile app.”

The latest announcement follows the launch in March of a biometric card trial for personal customers, allowing payment of transactions over £30 with a touch of the card.

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