Global: Visa and Tencent Introduce Palm Payment Technology in Singapore

Visa and Tencent have launched a new palm payment pilot in Singapore, enabling Visa cardholders from select banks, including DBS, OCBC, and UOB, to make contactless payments with just a wave of their hand. Participants in the program will complete a one-time enrollment at participating merchant points of sale by tapping their Visa card, scanning their palm, and completing authentication.

Once enrolled, users’ Visa payment tokens are securely linked to their unique palm biometric template, allowing them to make future payments at supported merchants by simply hovering their palm over a sensor—no need for cards or mobile devices.

Tencent highlights the security of this payment method, which combines a two-step process that verifies both palm prints and the distinctive vein patterns beneath the skin. All user data is encrypted and stored irreversibly, making it resistant to decryption, theft, or unauthorized reuse.

Adeline Kim, Visa’s Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, shared: “Our biometrics study shows that nearly 70% of Singaporean consumers view this as a secure way to pay. Our goal is to enhance the payment experience, offering seamless and highly secure transactions to our customers.”