VeriTrans Provides Facial Recognition Payment Service for Shizuoka Prefecture’s Facial Recognition System PoC with NEC

VeriTrans Inc. (HQ: Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Hiroshi Shino; VeriTrans), a payment service provider and subsidiary of Digital Garage, Inc. (TSE first section: 4819; HQ: Tokyo; Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO: Kaoru Hayashi; DG), provides a facial recognition payment service with NEC Corporation (TSE first section: 6701; HQ: Tokyo; President and CEO: Takashi Niino; NEC) for the Facial Recognition System Proof of Concept (Facial Recognition System PoC), “Umi no Mizuumi,” conducted by Shizuoka Prefecture from March 12 to March 29, 2021.

The facial recognition payment service, combined NEC’s facial recognition solution with VeriTrans’ credit card payment service, is a payment solution that can be used for a wide range of applications.

■ Outline of the Facial Recognition System PoC “Umi no Mizuumi”
Shizuoka Prefecture’s Facial Recognition System PoC “Umi no Mizuumi” uses facial recognition data as a type of common ID for facial recognition payments at 15 locations in the Lake Hamana region, including lodging, dining and cultural facilities. Consumers using facial recognition payment register their user information^* in advance on the smartphone face registration website, including facial data and credit card information. Facial recognition is performed on a dedicated tablet device installed in the store when they purchase products or use services, and the payment is completed with the credit card linked to their facial information.

Facial recognition provides better convenience to users, as they can pay speedily without having to present a card, smartphone, or other devices. Also, users can use the system without worrying about security, because the authentication is based on the user’s unique facial data, it is difficult to impersonate and helps prevent identity theft. In addition, this system reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection since there is no need to accept or hand over cash.

In this PoC, VeriTrans provides credit card payment service and the “one-click continual charge function.” The “one-click continual charge function” enables users to pay with only their user IDs that are automatically generated when registering facial data. Users’ credit card information will be automatically linked to their user IDs at the time of service registration.

■ “VeriTrans4G” credit card payment service
The “VeriTrans4G” credit card payment service is based on a system with the highest level of security in Japan, and is designed to prevent any credit card information from being retained or passed through the participating merchants’ servers or E-Commerce sites. It comes standard with basic functions such as continual charges and card information updating, as well as a wide range of security options to prevent fraudulent usage. “VeriTrans4G” is also an expandable system, so it can be used for physical stores and omnichannel developments as well as E-Commerce.

The “one-click continual charge function” can be utilized to pay for regular online shopping purchases, monthly memberships, and more. It supports various cashless payment formats such as biometric payments (including facial and fingerprint recognition) like this proof of concept, as well as barcode payments via smartphone apps supporting multiple stores and online services.

■ Future developments
As more people are using cashless payment methods, the DG Group offers highly augmentable payment solutions for both E-Commerce and physical stores. It allows business operators to speedily introduce a wide range of payment services with less trouble and fewer costs, these include the facial recognition payment service jointly offered by VeriTrans and NEC; “VeriTrans4G,” a multi-channel payment solution that supports a broad scope of industries and business formats; “Cloud Pay,” a unified QR Code payment solution; and code payment solutions for POS systems.

As a leader in the payment services industry, VeriTrans will offer more new payment methods required by business operators and consumers, and provide cashless solutions based on an integrated understanding of industry trends.

【Participating facilities】

* Smartphone registration website: https://member.shizuoka.digitalid.nec.com
* “QR Code” is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.

【About VeriTrans】 https://www.veritrans.co.jp/company/
A payment provider that carries out online payment, POS payment, barcode/QR Code payment, and other initiatives for the Digital Garage Group. VeriTrans supports cashless payments and business growth through payment solutions that can be used by business operators in a wide range of industries—such as logistics, services, manufacturing, government ministries, and local governments—in diverse channels including E-Commerce, physical stores, and omnichannel developments. As a leader in the payment services industry, which has now grown into a basic social infrastructure, VeriTrans will work with DG Group company ECONTEXT to offer advice to government institutions and the credit card industry, along with speedy service that meets the needs generated by trends in business and policy. Such efforts will support the expansion of convenient solutions, along with a safe and secure environment, as required by E-Commerce businesses and consumers.