A consumer tries to pay the bill using facial recognition equipment. (Photo courtesy of Ant Financial Services Group)

China has launched facial recognition payment on Wuma Street, a famous commercial street in Wenzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, Chinanews.com reported on Jan. 16.

Wuma street is the first example of this technology being implemented in a commercial street in China, said Yang Peng, vice president of Ant Financial Services Group.

Customers can authenticate payments by having their faces scanned by facial recognition payment equipment dubbed “Dragonfly.” The whole payment process takes a mere 10 seconds.

The machine is equipped with 3D cameras and is connected to Alipay’s risk control system. It can distinguish between a real face and a photograph, with an accuracy rate of 99.99 percent, Yang added.

The commercial use of facial recognition payment is recognized as an important step in the upgrading of major business circles in the city.