Tencent launches palm-based payments in China

According to South China Morning Post, users can pay for rides on the Daxing Airport Express Line in the Capital by holding their hands over a scanner at metro station turnstiles. "Recognition of a unique palm print triggers an automatic payment through the user's WeChat account," the report said.

Chinese internet and tech giant Tencent has launched a palm-recognition service for its WeChat Pay service here that allows Metro passengers to pay via waving their palm over a scanner, the media reported on Monday.

According to South China Morning Post, users can pay for rides on the Daxing Airport Express Line in the Capital by holding their hands over a scanner at metro station turnstiles.

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"Recognition of a unique palm print triggers an automatic payment through the user's WeChat account," the report said.

Palm prints must be taken at a designated machine at a metro station and passengers can then use their palms at turnstiles with a green circle, according to Tencent.

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The technology relies on recognition of both surface-level palm prints and the hand's veins, according to Tencent.

"In our aim to improve efficiency and greatly simplify user experience, we are making new technology more user-friendly for the elderly and accessible to people with disabilities," the company said in the statement.

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The technology was developed by the company's YouTu artificial intelligence lab.

Tencent will soon roll out palm payments at offices, campuses, retail outlets and restaurants.

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The service is currently only available to residents in mainland China who have completed real name verification.

Alibaba Group Holding is also working on similar technology for its Alipay service.

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In the US, Amazon launched its own hand-scan technology called Amazon One in offline stores in 2020.

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