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Chinese social media giant Tencent Holdings has introduced its palm-recognition technology in Macau, allowing mainland tourists to pay in shops by holding their hands over a scanner, using its WeChat Pay service.
This is the first time that Tencent's WeChat Pay, known as Weixin Pay domestically, has made palm payments available outside the mainland.
In the initial phase, the service will be launched in over 60 shops and locations across casino resorts and performance venues owned by Hong Kong's Galaxy Entertainment Group. They include StarWorld Hotel, Galaxy Macau, Broadway Macau and Galaxy Arena.
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Tencent said it plans to expand usage of the technology to more settings in Macau.
"Weixin Palm Pay is already widely used in retail, dining, transport, power banks rentals and other scenarios on the Chinese mainland," Kai Xia, head of Weixin Pay hardware innovation, said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Now, with its launch in Macau, we hope to use technology to bring more convenience to users at Galaxy Macau and enhance their shopping and payment experiences."
WeChat Palm Pay is available in dozens of shops and restaurants across hotels under the Galaxy Entertainment Group. Photo: Handout alt=WeChat Palm Pay is available in dozens of shops and restaurants across hotels under the Galaxy Entertainment Group. Photo: Handout>
Tencent first launched palm scan payments in May last year, allowing train passengers at the Beijing Metro Daxing Airport Line to pay for rides with their palms by having their prints taken at turnstiles.
To use palm payments in Macau, users need to activate the feature on their mainland WeChat renminbi wallet in advance. The technology relies on recognition of both surface-level palm prints and the hand's veins, and passed the assessment of China's National FinTech Evaluation Centre, according to Tencent.
WeChat's latest move comes amid a recovery in cross-border tourism. Macau has been one of the top travel destinations for mainland tourists, and interest has continued to rise.
The number of mainland travellers to Macau grew 53 per cent in the first half of 2024, according to official data. They made up the biggest group of tourists in the city, accounting for over two thirds of the total.
Other Big Tech companies have also been working on palm payments. Last year, Ant Group, operator of WeChat Pay's main rival Alipay, applied for a patent involving the use of palm recognition in digital payments. Ant is an affiliate of Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post.