Japanese card scheme JCB is to trial the use of palm vein authentication technology from Fujitsu for cardless purchases at ATMs and merchant terminals.
In July, JCB confirmed the system's effectiveness in a field trial involving several hundred employees who used the technology to pay for food and beverages at the employee cafeteria in JCB's headquarters.
The palm vein data from JCB's customers, along with their payment card information, is registered in advance in Fujitsu's datacenter.
When making a purchase, the customer waves their hand over a palm vein sensor. From the palm authentication servers, the corresponding payment card's information is then read, and the transaction is processed. Depending on the number of people registered, however, a multi-digit number key may need to be input to narrow down the authentication process.
Tac Watanabe, EVP, brand infrastructure and technologies, JCB, says: "We are planning pilots in different global markets in order to develop a unique biometric-based program using the most secure accurate palm vein authentication. I am confident that this new payment method using innovative technology will be in line with the needs of JCB customers and partners around the world."
Fujitsu says it has shipped a cumulative total of 470 thousand palm vein authentication devices, which have been used by over 63 million people in approximately 60 countries around the world.
Recent research from consultancy Technavio suggests that the global vein recognition biometrics market in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.83% from 2014-2019.. “Vein recognition biometrics is gaining importance in the BFSI sector for applications such as logical access control, physical access control, mobile banking, branch banking, kiosks, ATM and safe deposit locker,” the company states.