ING Netherlands Launches Voice Biometrics Payment System Powered by Nuance

While banking customers have already been able to use voice control on the ING Netherlands mobile app, now they can also make voice-activated payments leveraging voice biometrics technology from Nuance Communications.

More than 100,000 ING Netherlands’ customers already use the virtual assistant in the mobile app powered by Nuance, called Inge, to check bank balances or issue payments within the app. It is now possible to initiate payments using either voice biometrics (on iOS and Android phones) or fingerprint recognition (on iOS phones with Touch ID). Nuance Communications also provides the natural language understanding (NLU) technology that enables mobile voice banking in the ING mobile banking app.

"Thanks in part to the inclusion of biometric applications, we are able to make banking faster, smoother, and easier for our customers and improve access," said Jeroen Losekoot, Internet and mobile marketing manager at ING, in a statement. "This allows them to have greater control over their finances."

"By becoming the first bank in the Netherlands to incorporate voice biometrics into the mobile banking app, ING Netherlands is leading the charge in innovation by utilizing an effective solution that is natural and intuitive," said Robert Weideman, executive vice president and general manager for the Enterprise Division of Nuance, in a statement. "Customers can now bank in a seamless and convenient way by using the sound of their voice from start to finish in the mobile app."

Inge, which is ING's version of Nuance's Nina virtual assistant, delivers a, conversational experience to customers that enables a bank-free experience controlled by the sound of their voice. Customers can now also log in and confirm bank transfers using voice biometrics technology, making authentication fast and convenient.

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