Voice Recognition, the Future of Remote Payment?

February 2016: the CNIL (National Commission for Data Processing and Freedom) has given permission to the Banque Postale to use voice biometrics (voice recognition) to pay online securely. After three years of testing , La Banque Postale is the first French bank to initiate this new secure payment system. The goal is simple: to validate or not a payment thanks to the sound of his voice, which is unique, like an imprint. Commissioning of the Talk to Pay system is planned for summer 2016.

How it works ?

After having given his mobile phone number to La Banque Postale (essential to use the voice recognition service), the Banque Postale Talk to Pay extension is downloaded on his Internet browser. At the time of validating a purchase made on the Internet, the customer then receives a call from the bank: he simply gives his name, first name and say "I identify by voice" so that payment by voice recognition is accepted . Our banking information is then directly filled on the payment page of the site on which we make our purchases, and a unique cryptogram is then generated, replacing the code printed on the back of our credit card, it is specific to each financial transaction. The customer must then manually validate his payment.

What are the limits of voice biometrics?

But then, can we still validate his purchases if we are aphon ? Obviously, voice recognition does not work, as the system can not recognize our voice, which has become a password that can trigger payment. On the other hand, the blocked nose does not stop the voice recognition that works well even if one is cold. The "Talk To Pay" system of the Banque Postale has been tested by 650 employees and customers in different situations: on the street, in the office, in a low voice or shouting ... Voice recognition will work on all sites merchants, provided of course to be a customer of the bank.

La Banque Postale ensures that its new "Talk To Pay" voice biometry system is reliable, it would also be aimed at reinforcing the security of remote payments and fighting bank fraud since the voice is unique. As of next summer, more than 10 million customers will be able to test the payment by voice recognition.