Handwave: half of consumers would pay with their palm if privacy is guaranteed, survey finds

• Dissatisfaction with current payment options and resistance to "card-only" stores is driving demand for more flexible, contact-free alternatives.
• Younger shoppers lead demand, with 46% of 25–34 year-olds already comfortable using palm payments.
• Concerns over data misuse remain the biggest barrier, but speed, hygiene, and convenience make palm payments increasingly attractive to urban consumers.

LONDON, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of US consumers would adopt palm-based payments if security and privacy were guaranteed, according to new research from European fintech company Handwave. The Censuswide survey of 2,001 Americans suggests palm payments could soon be as common as tapping a card, signalling a major shift in attitudes toward biometric technology.

Younger shoppers are leading the demand, with 46% of 25–34 year-olds trusting biometrics recognition (e.g. facial, fingerprint) as a safe way of making payments or processing loyalty program claims, compared to 28% of over-55s. Across all age groups, 48% say they would use palm payments regularly if trust in data handling was assured, underscoring that confidence in security remains the decisive factor in mainstream adoption.

Consumers are ready for change:

Frustration with existing payment methods is creating fertile ground for biometric alternatives. While chip-and-PIN (63%) and cash (57%) remain the most commonly used payment methods, satisfaction with these options is surprisingly low in many US cities: fewer than half of consumers report being happy with their current payment options in Charlotte (41%), Dallas (39%), Houston (48%), Las Vegas (43%), Miami (37%), New Orleans (36%), New York (39%) and San Francisco (50%).

This dissatisfaction extends to restrictive payment policies. A third of Americans report being put off by "card-only" stores, with 42% of 16–24 year-olds and 41% of 25–34 year-olds rejecting the model outright. Urban centres show even higher resistance, including Houston (51%), New York (47%), and Los Angeles (45%), signalling strong demand for more flexible, contact-free payment options.

Trust remains the gatekeeper for adoption:

While enthusiasm for palm payments is strong, adoption hinges on trust. 41% of respondents worry about how their biometric data might be used, 32% do not trust retailers or providers to handle the system responsibly, and 29% cite potential technical issues as further barriers. Fear of data breaches or hacking tops the list at 55%, emphasising the high stakes consumers associate with sharing sensitive information.

These worries highlight widespread consumer scepticism over how personal data is used. Nearly six in ten Americans instinctively refuse to share their email at checkout, highlighting loyalty programme fatigue. Confidence in tech companies to handle sensitive data is low: just 38% trust them to manage facial recognition responsibly, with younger consumers showing more confidence (48% of 16–34 year-olds) than older generations (27% of over-55s).

Yet the potential for adoption is clear. Over half of those surveyed in major US cities like Miami (52%), New York (51%) and Houston (45%) already feel comfortable paying using their palm instead of a card or phone. In Las Vegas, one in ten shoppers are already using biometric payments.

For many consumers, the benefits of speed, hygiene, and convenience are compelling: 34% of shoppers cite faster checkout as their main motivator, 36% highlight improved security, and a quarter are drawn by the ability to leave wallets or phones behind. 61% of Americans say avoiding contact with shared surfaces remains a priority, reinforcing the appeal of contact-free payments.

"Consumers are signalling that speed, convenience and hygiene will define the future of payments, but trust is the tipping point." says Oskars Lakševičs, Chief Revenue Officer, Handwave. "When people are confident that their data is handled securely, half of all shoppers say they would use palm payments regularly. What we're seeing is the emergence of a new payment culture: intuitive, contact-free, and built around the individual."

The survey underscores that while palm payments are still in their early days, they are edging toward mainstream adoption. As younger consumers increasingly expect seamless, contact-free experiences, and with nearly half of all shoppers ready to embrace palm payments once security is assured, biometric payments are poised to move from novelty to norm.

Palm-based payment and authentication - the solution:

Handwave is a European fintech company building a biometric acceptance layer for the global payment ecosystem. We enable people to pay, verify their age, and activate loyalty with a single palm scan — no phone or physical cards required.

Our solution integrates seamlessly with existing payment infrastructure, including card networks, allowing merchants and partners to adopt biometric checkout without replacing their current systems.

By combining proprietary palm recognition, secure authentication, and full-stack payment infrastructure, Handwave reduces checkout to just a few seconds. The result is a faster, safer, and smoother experience for customers, while helping merchants increase throughput, reduce fraud, and simplify operations.

Handwave is reimagining how people pay and verify their identity - replacing cards, phones, and even facial recognition with a simple palm scan. Using proprietary technology, the solution enables customers to easily onboard themselves, scan their palm using their phone camera, and link payment and loyalty cards, as well as identity credentials, to a secure digital wallet. Once enrolled, users can simply hold their palm over a reader to pay, activate loyalty, or confirm their age - no apps, phones, or wallets needed at checkout.

Unlike facial recognition, however, it doesn't track your every move. And unlike fingerprints, it's far harder to spoof. Handwave uses two types of imaging - capturing both the surface lines and subdermal vein structure of your palm - to build a unique, encrypted ID that never leaves your control. The system also performs a built-in liveness check by detecting real-time blood flow in the veins, ensuring that silicone replicas, prosthetics, or other spoofing attempts cannot be used. Each scan is backed up by its own unique algorithm - thus providing 2-factor authentication, and the highest security standards.

Handwave's platform serves two key customer groups:

• Private individuals who seek faster, more seamless in-store checkout without juggling loyalty cards or unlocking devices.
• Merchants and retailers who want to reduce friction at checkout, enhance customer experience, and access smart services like built-in age verification and loyalty integration.
• Acquiring service providers, financial institutions, payments operators and banks - both consumer and business-to-business via partnerships

About Handwave:

Handwave is a European deeptech company that provides innovative palm-based payment and authentication solutions. Our unique Biometrics-As-A-Service platform offers a seamless connection between service providers and customers, making daily services more convenient, secure, and accessible. Our mission is to revolutionize the way people pay and authenticate, replacing traditional cards, devices, and tickets with our cutting-edge technology.

Visit us at https://www.handwave.com/