Palm-based biometric authentication is gaining traction across several sectors, including healthcare, payments and blockchain technology, despite a recent setback for Amazon’s retail-focused Amazon One system. While Amazon announced it will discontinue its palm scanning service in most retail locations by June 3, 2026, other companies are actively deploying and expanding the technology.
Healthcare Adoption in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, clinics are beginning to adopt palm verification for patient check-ins. Tencent, in partnership with Bupa Hong Kong, has rolled out a system called “Express Check-in” across 20 private healthcare clinics. The system utilizes Tencent’s PalmAI technology and is currently available in clinics located in Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Admiralty, with other locations offering QR code check-in as an alternative.
The PalmAI system employs dual biometric authentication, analyzing both palm print and palm vein patterns. According to Steven Choi, general manager of Tencent Cloud Hong Kong and Macau, this approach enables a “secure, contactless, and truly frictionless check-in experience.” Patients simply place their hand over a scanner for instant verification, eliminating the need for physical identification or interaction with staff. Bupa Hong Kong’s chief customer, data and digital officer Yvonne Leung, highlighted the integration with the company’s Blua Health app, allowing patients to access care without physical documents.
Expansion into Payments and Blockchain
Beyond healthcare, palm biometrics are also making inroads into the financial sector. A Brazilian fintech, Treeal, is partnering with Tencent to bring the technology to the Brazilian market for payments. The partners claim the system boasts a false acceptance rate (FAR) of less than one in a billion and a false rejection rate (FRR) of 0.01 percent, with identity verification completed in 300 milliseconds. João Santos, CEO of Treeal, anticipates that palm biometrics could become “mainstream” in Brazil within the next five years, citing the country’s reputation for early technology adoption.
Eric Li, Director of AI Global Commercialization at Tencent Cloud, believes the technology will extend beyond payments, playing a role in “smart access and urban mobility.”
Web3 and Identity Verification
The technology is also being tested within the Web3 community for identity verification on a large-scale blockchain network. Pi Network is introducing palm print authentication as a beta feature, designed to complement existing liveness checks and facial recognition. Pi Network suggests potential applications for account recovery, password resets, and two-factor authentication. The network reports that over 16 million users have migrated to its Mainnet, making it one of the largest identity-verified blockchain networks.
Amazon’s Retreat and Broader Trends
The discontinuation of Amazon One, while a setback for the technology’s retail application, doesn’t signal a complete halt to palm biometric development. Amazon is continuing to offer the service at healthcare locations. The company’s decision appears to be linked to a broader retreat from physical retail, with the closure of all 72 Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores in the U.S.
Competing Biometric Technologies
Palm scanning is competing with other biometric authentication methods, including facial scanning, fingerprint identification, and iris scanning. The proliferation of these options presents a challenge for widespread adoption, as the market navigates different formats and standards.
Market Growth and Future Outlook
Despite Amazon’s shift, the overall market for palm payment systems is projected to grow significantly, with valuations expected to reach £375.8 million by 2035. North America is currently the leading adopter, anticipated to maintain approximately 34% market share by that time. The appeal of palm recognition lies in its combination of security and convenience, particularly in retail and banking environments. The implementation of data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, is also driving adoption, as financial institutions and retailers prioritize secure transaction processing.
The convergence of cloud technology and touchless scanning capabilities is establishing the infrastructure needed for wider deployment of palm biometric systems in urban environments. The technology’s success will likely depend on continued advancements in security, privacy, and user experience, as well as ongoing regulatory compliance.
