Draft:Pay with a Smile
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 Sberbank payment terminal that supports biometrical payments inside a Pyatorochka store. Upper inscription: pay with a smile. Bottom inscription: pay via QR code. | |
| Type | Payment tool |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Sberbank |
| Inception | March 2021 |
| Website | https://www.sberbank.ru |
Pay with a Smile or Smile Pay (Russian: Оплата улыбкой) is a Russian widespread[1] biometric payment service developed by Sber that enables customers to pay for purchases using facial recognition at compatible payment terminals. The service authenticates a user's identity by comparing their face with biometric data previously registered in the system, eliminating the need to present a bank card or mobile phone at checkout. It was launched in 2023,[2] following the suspension of Apple Pay and Google Pay in Russia in 2022, which contributed to the wider adoption of alternative contactless payment methods.[3] However, it is worth noting that this was not Sber's first biometric initiative. In November 2020, the bank opened its first redesigned branch in Moscow featuring biometric access control and a service model without traditional teller counters. The biometric system enabled customer identification by face recognition without the need to present a passport. Instead of conventional teller windows with partitions, the branch introduced open desks designed for direct communication between customers and managers.[4] Because payments are authenticated using facial recognition rather than a mobile wallet, the service can be used regardless of whether a customer carries a bank card or uses a smartphone that supports NFC payments, including iPhones. Initially available only to Sber customers, the service was expanded in late 2024 to support payment cards issued by other Russian banks.[5]
History and X5
[edit source]In March 2021, Sber and X5 Group launched a pilot project to test biometric payments using facial recognition at the Perekrestok retail chain. The system allowed customers to authenticate payments through facial recognition at self-checkout machines equipped with 3D cameras developed for the project.[6]
On 2 August 2023, X5 Group and Sber officially launched the "Smile to Pay" service across 15,000 self-checkouts in approximately 4,100 Pyaterochka and Perekrestok stores in Russia. The service was integrated into X5's self-checkout infrastructure and used software solutions developed by X5's Innovation Lab and Sber. Customers could activate the service through the SberBank Online application by enabling facial recognition, selecting a linked payment card, and setting a PIN code. Following X5 Group's launch, other companies also began deploying the service in their stores. For example, Askona launched "Payment with a Smile" in its stores, with the company announcing that the service would be available in 400 stores by 27 November 2023.[7]
The system was designed to allow customers to complete payments within several seconds without using a physical bank card or a smartphone at checkout. The biometric identification technology used 3D cameras capable of facial recognition while accounting for variations in appearance and viewing angles.[8]
Payment terminals
[edit source]The technology (Pay with a Smile) is currently supported on three payment terminal models: KOZEN P10, KOZEN P12, and EVOTOR 6 (Russian: Эвотор 6). To pay with a smile, select «Оплатить улыбкой» (To pay with a smile) on the terminal's touchscreen. In some cases you may need to enter your PIN code (If another customer looks similar to you; If you have a twin; If quality of the photo is too low)[9]
References
[edit source]- ↑ "Biometric payments becoming widespread in Russia: Report". The States Man. 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Sber clients can now pay with their smiles from any bank's card". SBER BANK. 2024-09-26. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
- ↑ "Gref called Apple's departure an incentive to create a "smile payment" system". iz (Russian: Известия). 2025-02-27. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Sberbank: Smile payment system". TADVISER. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
- ↑ "Smile-to-pay service in Russia — Fake or Real?". Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN). 2025-04-18. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
- ↑ "Russian supermarket chain rolls out pay-with-face technology". Finextra. 2021-03-11. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
"X5 and Sber launch world's largest smile-to-pay service". X5 Group. 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
"Russian Retailer Launches Facial Recognition Payments". The Moscow Time. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
"Russian Grocery Chain Lets Customers Pay With Face Biometrics". ID TECH. 2021-03-11. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
"Forget Apps, Russia's X5 And Visa Have Launched Pay With Your Face". Forbes. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
"With the Kremlin's blessing, Russian companies embrace biometric ambitions". rest of world. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2026-08-04. - ↑ "Askona stores earned payment for biometrics from Sberbank". TADVISER. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "X5 and Sber launch world's largest smile-to-pay service". X5. 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
- ↑ "Оплата улыбкой". SBER BANK. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
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