Banking group Resona Holdings Inc. on Thursday established a consortium of 31 Japanese companies across a range of industries to discuss and share know-how on the development of a payment system using facial recognition technology. The bank unveiled the plan for the payment system in August, aiming to allow users to make deposits and withdrawals at banks and shop at stores without presenting anything if they register their facial images in advance, with hopes of creating a standard that can ultimately be utilized in different settings. The joint project is also headed by Panasonic System Solutions Japan Co., a unit of electronics giant Panasonic Corp. which has expertise in facial recognition technology, credit card firm JCB Co. and Dai Nippon Printing Co. The newly announced consortium includes West Japan Railway Co., Seven & i Holdings Co. and Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., among other companies. The facial recognition technology requires customers to register a picture of their face through a website and other personal data.

Commuters in Moscow, Russia now have the option of using the new voluntary payment method called "Face Pay". This method allows them to sign up by scanning their face in front of a camera at a designated turnstile. Prior to this commuters had an option available to submit their card details along with their photo identification. Moscow's transport department has stated that any information stored on commuters to allow them to use Face Pay is encrypted securely. The facial recognition payment system is totally voluntary as all other payment systems also continue to be used.

More than 240 metro stations across Moscow now allow passengers to pay for a ride by looking at a camera. The Moscow metro has launched what authorities say is the first mass-scale deployment of a facial recognition payment system. According to The Guardian, passengers can access the payment option called FacePay by linking their photo, bank card and metro card to the system via the Mosmetro app. "Now all passengers will be able to pay for travel without taking out their phone, Troika or bank card," Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin tweeted. In the official Moscow website's announcement, the country's Department of Transport said all Face Pay information will be encrypted.

LG CNS announced Thursday that the company has introduced a facial recognition payment system using cloud server and blockchain technology. The Korean company's new payment system uses a kiosk equipped with artificial intelligence specialized in recognizing facial biometrics to identify customers. The payment system then proceeds with payments by accessing customers' account data encrypted in the cloud server. The company said the AI-based payment system is much more convenient than using mobile apps or credit cards. The system also gets rid of unnecessary points of contact, reducing risks of viral infections, the company explained.

China's top tech adviser for the financial sector sees "bright prospects" for facial recognition payment systems despite lingering concerns over privacy and data security. The artificial recognition-powered payment method is expected to be widely used across the country because it offers convenience and efficiency, according to Chen Jing, a member of the State Council's Advisory Committee for State Information and former chief of the central bank's technology division. Still, regulations need to be in line with the technology, which means limiting use to qualified service providers and capping the amount of payment allowed, Chen told The Beijing News in a report on Thursday. "Development is of overriding importance because falling behind is the biggest cause for concern," Chen was quoted as saying. "Through dedicated exploration and efforts, face-scan payment will win recognition from society."