Revolut trials facial recognition payments in London cafes
The 'Pay with Smile' system allows customers to make purchases with a glance at participating Kiss the Hippo locations.
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Named individuals and Revolut statements provide sources and figures, raising trust to 74.
Higher is stronger
Article explains relevance, quotes stakeholders, gives specifics and next steps, but reads like a press release.
Higher is stronger
Headline is factual; language is promotional but not overly sensational.
Lower is better
Digital financial firm Revolut has begun a trial of a new facial recognition payment system in London. The feature, named 'Pay with Smile', allows customers to authorise payments with a 'simple glance' at participating businesses using Revolut Register terminals.
Pilot locations and customer opt-in
Blue diamond ring set for £2m auction in London on 1 October
Elmwood’s will sell an 8.03‑carat Fancy Light Blue stone, the third UK auction of a blue diamond over eight carats, with an estimated price of £1.5‑£2 million
Customers can experience the technology this week at Kiss the Hippo cafes located in Bloomsbury, Chelsea, and Soho. To use 'Pay with Smile', customers tap the option on a Revolut Register screen and then complete a facial identity check. This process is similar to unlocking a smartphone using facial recognition. The system verifies a customer’s identity against checks completed during their Revolut sign-up. If the facial match is successful, an account-to-account payment is authorised.
Revolut stated that customers must actively choose to use the feature through their app settings and will not be enrolled automatically. Consent can be withdrawn by users at any point. Alex Codina, general manager of merchant payments at Revolut Business, described the system as a way to replace 'outdated, fragmented tills' with a 'hyper-efficient checkout experience'.
Merchant benefits and data security
FTSE 100 climbs to 10,739 as oil slips and JD Sports eyes Mexico
London markets rose on lower Brent prices while JD Sports announced a franchise deal to launch its brand in Mexico, and Elixirr reported higher half‑year profit.
Alex Damgaci, managing director at Kiss the Hippo Coffee, expressed anticipation for customers to try 'Pay with Smile' at their Bloomsbury, Soho, and Chelsea cafes. He indicated plans to roll out the system across all 12 of their cafes later this year. Revolut is offering 0% processing fees on 'Pay with Smile' transactions. The company also stated that facial recognition data is encrypted end-to-end and that participating merchants will not store personal data.
Questions this report answers
+Where can I try the new facial recognition payment system?
The 'Pay with Smile' system is currently being piloted at Kiss the Hippo cafes in Bloomsbury, Chelsea, and Soho. This trial is available during the week of 23 September 2026.
+How does 'Pay with Smile' work for customers?
Customers must opt in through the Revolut app. When making a purchase, they select 'Pay with Smile' on the terminal and complete a facial identity check to authorise the payment from their account.
+Is my facial data stored by the cafes?
Revolut states that facial recognition data is encrypted end-to-end. The company also confirmed that participating merchants, such as Kiss the Hippo cafes, will not store any personal data collected during the payment process.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.