Tencent Cloud launches palm vein biometrics for contactless payments

During the Tencent Global Digital Ecosystem Summit, Tencent Cloud unveiled a palm verification system that utilizes infrared cameras to capture and analyze unique palm vein patterns and prints. It can be integrated into various applications, such as contactless payments and access management.

Tencent has shared that the biometric system has been deployed in several locations in China since last year, including the Beijing airport express train and Shenzhen University. Furthermore, retail chains such as 7-Eleven in Guangdong province have also adopted Tencent’s palm verification for contactless payments.

“The Palm Verification Ecosystem Plan packages our technology into a versatile model kit, enabling global partners to quickly adopt and integrate this world-class technology for market deployment. The initiative empowers our partners to innovate and apply this technology across diverse business scenarios worldwide,” says Poshu Yeung, senior vice president of Tencent Cloud International.

The company will also pilot its palm verification in partnership with Telkomsel, a major telecom operator in Indonesia. Tencent has emphasized that the expansion of its AI initiatives is a result of its growing presence in high-growth markets. It has achieved double-digit growth in international markets over the past three years.

At the Summit, Tencent introduced other AI-driven solutions, such as an e-KYC service for remote customer digital identity verification, which is particularly relevant for the banking, finance, and telecom industries. The company will also provide a cloud-based platform for businesses to develop and implement AI applications.

Startups rushing in

The palm biometrics market is expanding rapidly, with a mix of large companies like Tencent and startups from around the world competing for opportunities.

Kazakhstan-based startup Alaqan demonstrated a palm vein biometrics scanner which (like Tencent) uses infrared sensors at a recent showcase. The Kazakhstan Tech Solution Day was held as part of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Digital Inclusion and Transformation last week. The conference was held by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

The system matches the user’s biometrics in less than a second, a company executive told The Astana Times, and Alaqan has developed products for payments, deployed already to some coffee shops, and schools. More than 140 schools across Kazakhstan are using the system for meal tracking and other applications, and the company plans to roll out its technology in Georgia and Türkiye.

Astra Tech launched a payment platform using palm vein biometrics in the UAE in May, and Innovatrics introduced a mobile palm print recognition system for digital identity verification just last month.

Article Topics

access control  |  Alaqan  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  palm biometrics  |  palm vein authentication  |  Tencent