JCB Starts Trials of Payment by Palm for Practical Application

JCB Co., Ltd. (“JCB”), the only international payment brand based in Japan, will be conducting a trial of payment using palm vein authentication in corporation with Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Frontech Limited. The trial will be held at the JCB World Conference in October, an event attended by JCB partner companies and financial institutions from around the world.

Payment by palm leverages the JCB global network with Fujitsu’s palm vein authentication technology, one of the most accurate biometric authentication technologies in the world. After linking a palm vein pattern and payment card information, customers can make a simple, fast and secure payment by using palm. Multiple cards can be linked to one pattern, and customer does not need to bring his or her wallet or any mobile payment device.

Palm vein authentication is highly accurate (see “About Palm Vein Authentication”), and already being used for many applications such as bank ATMs and high security area access control systems. Incorporating this authentication method with the JCB global network will create the world’s first payment way of its kind.

In addition to the trial at JCB World Conference in October, JCB has already conducted a trial of, involving several hundred employees at the JCB headquarters in Tokyo in July 2015.

“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, followed by the trial at the JCB World Conference. 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,” Tac Watanabe, Executive Vice President, Brand Infrastructure & Technologies of JCB, said.