MasterCard is experimenting with 'selfie pay'

MasterCard is experimenting with a new technology to let people pay for things through a selfie.

"Selfie pay", announced on Thursday, uses facial recognition through smartphone cameras to verify the identity of someone buying something over their phone.

If you're buying something on your smartphone, MasterCard makes sure it's really you and not a fraud by looking at a quick snap taken on your phone and mapping it against a stored image of you MasterCard will have on file.

It's basically a two-step verification process, albeit a very on-trend one.

The technology is being trialled with First Tech Federal Credit Union in the US. MasterCard is also experimenting with fingerprint recognition payments using smartphone scanners, also with First Tech.

At the moment, only First Tech employees can play about with the technology and they can only use fake accounts and fake money. 200 employees are taking part in the trial, which runs from September to October.

If it's successful then who knows - we could all be paying with selfies in a year's time.

Finextra reports that MasterCard is also working on a similar trial in the Netherlands.

Catherine Murchie, a Senior Vice President at MasterCard, says in a statement: "We're excited to be on the cutting edge of exploring biometrics and engaged in the first U.S. pilot with First Tech Federal Credit Union."