'China Is Living In 2050': Viral Reel Shows How Customers Can Pay By Scanning Their Palms. Here's How It Works

Palm scanning payments are being utilised across a wide range of industries, from retail to public transportation.

China is witnessing the rise of a futuristic payment method that eliminates the need for physical cards or even mobile phones — palm-scanning payments. This technology leverages advanced palm print and vein recognition to allow users to make transactions with a simple wave of the hand. Scanning a user’s palm instantly verifies their identity and processes the payment, offering a fast, secure, and contactless solution.

A recent viral Instagram reel has drawn attention to this technology. The video shows how smoothly and quickly palm-scanning payments work. In the video, the user completes a transaction almost instantaneously, underscoring the system's convenience and speed.

This technology is already being integrated into various everyday scenarios, including public transportation. For instance, on the Beijing Metro Daxing Airport Line, passengers can pay for their ride simply by hovering their palm over a scanner at the turnstile.

How Does Palm-Scan Payments Work?

So, how does it work? The process begins with a quick registration. Users align their palms with a scanner on a palm scan device while scanning a QR code on their mobile phones. This links the user’s palm print and vein pattern to their payment account. Once set up, users can start making payments by scanning their palms at supported locations.

Palm scanning payments are being utilised across a wide range of industries. In retail, shoppers can use the technology to pay for goods at checkout. In restaurants, diners can settle their bills with a simple palm scan. The transportation sector is also adopting this technology, with users paying for rides on buses, trains, and subways. Additionally, it’s being used for power bank rentals, where customers can rent and return portable chargers using only their palms.

Tencent Holdings, the company behind China’s hugely popular WeChat platform, has emerged as a leader in the adoption of palm scanning payments. Its WeChat Pay service (known as Weixin Pay in China) has integrated this technology into various settings, and the service was recently launched in Macau, enabling seamless transactions for tourists from mainland China. Meanwhile, other tech giants like Ant Group, which operates Alipay, are also developing their own versions of palm-based payment systems.

As palm scanning payments continue to expand, this innovation could transform how people in China — and potentially around the world — pay for everyday items, offering a glimpse into the future of cashless transactions. The ease of use, combined with high security and quick operation, makes palm payments a strong contender in the growing trend of biometric payment solutions.