Payface

Payface is a Brazilian technology company specializing in facial recognition payment systems. Founded in 2018 by Eládio Isoppo and Ricardo Fritsche, Payface offers a biometric checkout solution that allows customers to make purchases using only their face. The company's technology converts a user's facial image into an encrypted digital template, which is then matched against enrolled users' templates to confirm identity during transactions. Payface's system is designed to speed up checkout times, improve hygiene, and enhance security in retail settings.

In 2022, Payface partnered with Mastercard to launch a pilot program for biometric checkout at five St. Marche supermarkets in São Paulo, Brazil. The pilot saw nearly 1,000 people register and use their biometrics to check out, with an average of nearly six transactions over the course of the three-month trial. In 2023, Payface acquired SmileGo, a rival facial recognition firm, to expand its reach in the Brazilian market. The company has integrated passive liveness detection from ID R&D to enhance the security of its facial recognition technology.

Payface's solution allows customers to register their face and payment information either in-store or via the Payface app. Once enrolled, users can complete transactions by smiling at a camera at the checkout counter, eliminating the need for cards, wallets, or smartphones. The company claims its technology can process payments up to nine times faster than traditional methods.

Key customers and partnerships

Payface has established partnerships with several notable companies in the payments and retail sectors. Its collaboration with Mastercard on the Biometric Checkout Program has been a significant driver of the company's growth. Payface is also part of Mastercard's Start Path accelerator program, which has helped the company refine its technology and expand its network.

In the retail sector, Payface has implemented its technology in various supermarket chains across Brazil. Its client list includes Super Muffato, Angeloni, and Zona Sul. In July 2024, Grupo Ítalo Supermercados, a supermarket chain based in Curitiba, introduced Payface's facial recognition payment system in three of its stores. Payface has projects implemented with retailers in several Brazilian states, including Santa Catarina, Bahia, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. As of 2023, the company had created a network of 1,500 point-of-sale locations enabling facial biometric payments in physical retail stores throughout Brazil.