A viral Instagram video shows China's advanced ‘palm payment’ system, sparking widespread intrigue online. The video, shared by popular Pakistani content creator Rana Hamza Saif, shows a glimpse of China's futuristic payment methods, where you just need to scan your palm to make payments. This biometric technology, Weixin Palm Payment, which is available in mainland China and is owned by Tencent, one of the biggest MNCs of China and the world.
The video, filmed in Zhuzhou, China, captures a moment when the content creator and his friends visit a local grocery store. As they approach the payment counter, one of Saif’s companions makes a purchase, not with cash, a card, or even a smartphone, but simply by waving his hand over a sensor.
The palm payment system, which works through pre-registered biometric data, processes the transaction in seconds and the cashier shows the group a thumbs up, indicating the payment came through.
"If your palm is registered, you can make payments anywhere in China just by waving your hand," Saif explained in the video.
The Instagram clip, captioned "China Is Living In 2050," has amassed over 10 million views, with users across the globe sharing their thoughts on the leap in technology.
Comments on the viral post, however, reflect a mix of admiration and humour, with many comparing China's advancements to those in other countries. One Indian viewer remarked, "In India, it's UPI—best in the world," referencing India's Unified Payments Interface, which has revolutionised digital transactions in the country.
Another comment took a more political jab: "More than the palm technology in China, I’m actually surprised that Pakistanis have finally started making payments to China."
Another comment read, "China is obviously ahead of most of the world, including the USA”. Others contrasted China's progress with Pakistan's current situation, quipping, "China is not living in 2050, Pakistan is living in the 1990s."
How do the palm payments work?
Launched in May 2023, Weixin's palm recognition service initially debuted on Beijing’s airport express train line and at Shenzhen University, before expanding to over 1,500 7-Eleven stores in Guangdong province by September.
The service is now also available at power bank rental stations and has applications across various sectors, including retail, transport, fitness, and education. The system works by having users align their palms with a scanner, followed by a quick registration process via a mobile app.
Once registered, customers can make payments with just the wave of a hand, receiving instant notifications on their phones post-transaction.
Tencent has implemented measures to ensure the safety of the entire process, from capturing images through cameras to securely transmitting, recognising, and storing them. In-house security teams constantly monitor the system to identify potential threats and mitigate risks.
The technology is designed with user consent in mind—biometric data is only collected upon user authorisation, and individuals can deactivate the feature at any time, giving them full control over their privacy, the company assures.
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