Mastercard Makes Fingerprint and ‘Selfie’ Payment Technology a Reality in Latin America

Mastercard Identity Check Mobile allows cardholders to authenticate online payment by scanning their fingerprint or by taking a selfie.

Technology eliminates the need to remember passwords to confirm online payments, while improving the security in these transactions.

The application is now available in Brazil and Mexico, following successful implementations in 14 countries around the world.

Typically, existing identity verification methods take shoppers away from a merchant’s website or mobile app where they are often required to remember and enter a password. The process can be time consuming, resulting in a shopper abandoning their purchase or having the transaction declined if they enter their password incorrectly.

Mastercard Identity Check Mobile eliminates the need for cardholders to remember passwords, dramatically speeding up the digital checkout experience while also improving security. The cardholder can verify their identity using the fingerprint scanner or via facial recognition technology by taking a “selfie” photo on their smartphone.

“We are focusing our efforts on simplifying the online payment experience, without compromising security,” said Ajay Bhalla, president of Enterprise Risk & Security, Mastercard. “We find ourselves before a milestone in payments’ evolution. Following the revolution in physical purchases with innovations like Chip technology, contactless payments, and wearables, we are now making Identity Check a reality for online purchases in Latin America after earlier rollouts this year in the U.S. and Europe.”

This launch takes place after successful trials in the Netherlands, the U.S. and Canada concluded that consumers prefer biometrics payments  instead of the current password-based systems.

About Mastercard

Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry.  We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.  Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.