Pay with a glance at a screen as biometric technology company begins push into Australian retail
Australia’s New Payment Method: Pay with a Glance at Your Screen
Wanderstayfinder.com – Australia’s retail sector is embracing a revolutionary way to pay with a glance at the screen. Verifone, the company behind 300,000 Eftpos terminals across the nation, is launching biometric payment technology that lets customers complete purchases simply by looking at a display. This innovation marks a significant evolution in consumer payment habits, moving beyond card taps and digital wallets toward seamless body-based authentication.
Understanding the Biometric Payment System
The new technology enables shoppers to authenticate purchases through facial recognition or palm-vein scanning, which captures unique vein patterns within the human hand. Instead of storing actual images, the system converts biometric data into secure tokens directly on the payment device. This tokenization approach ensures that while biometric profiles remain accessible for transaction verification, the raw data is managed by merchants, financial institutions, or digital wallet providers rather than held centrally by Verifone.
Ben Hughes, Verifone’s head of product for Asia Pacific, explained that this technology addresses what he described as the “friction” inherent in slower transaction processes. He noted that customers navigating grocery stores often perform multiple authentication steps—tapping a loyalty card followed by a payment card—which the new system consolidates into a single glance or hand placement.
“If you go to a grocery store and you have to tap a loyalty card, plus tap a payment card, that’s the kind of thing that now we’d be able to speed up,” Hughes stated.
Consumer Experience and Marketing Strategy
Verifone has positioned this innovation with the accessible tagline “pay for your coffee with a smile,” emphasizing the simplicity of the new payment method. The company’s Verifone Victa devices, which launched last month, are designed to be deployed incrementally by retailers as their existing terminals reach the end of their operational lifecycle. This gradual rollout strategy acknowledges that cafes, restaurants, and retail establishments will need time to upgrade their equipment infrastructure.
Customers who opt into the biometric system will still have the flexibility to use traditional contactless payment methods on their cards or mobile phones. The technology is designed to complement rather than replace existing payment options, providing an additional pathway for those who prefer to pay with a glance at the screen or use conventional methods.
Security Measures and Fraud Prevention
Security concerns have been a central consideration in the development of this technology. Verifone has implemented specific measures designed to prevent users from “spoofing” other people’s hands or faces—a vulnerability that has emerged during the rollout of facial verification systems, particularly those utilized in Australia’s social media age assurance framework. These safeguards aim to ensure that the biometric data captured corresponds accurately to the intended customer.
“This is continuous evolution, if you remember when contactless first came out, the amount of negative press we actually got from that initiative,” said Paris Tsounias, Verifone’s Asia Pacific president.
Tsounias drew parallels between the current biometric transition and the initial skepticism surrounding contactless payments. She highlighted that contemporary statistics show over 90% of transactions now utilize contactless methods, with consumer perception having shifted dramatically from wariness to acceptance. The company emphasized that comprehensive certifications and compliance frameworks have addressed many of the original concerns.
Market Context and Financial Implications
The timing of this biometric push coincides with broader shifts in Australian payment behavior. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, the number of people paying by tapping physical cards declined from a 2022 peak of nearly 80% to under 60% in 2025, while payments through devices such as smartphones and smartwatches rose to nearly 40%. This movement away from physical cards creates fertile ground for biometric alternatives.
Card-related fraud losses totaled $2.2 billion during the 2024-2025 financial year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. While the ABS did not isolate incidents specifically related to contactless payment fraud—where consumers unknowingly have their cards tapped for transactions—nearly 78% of people who reported card-related fraud experienced no financial loss following reimbursements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pay with a glance at the screen? Simply look directly at the Verifone Victa display when prompted. The facial recognition system will authenticate your identity and complete the transaction without requiring any physical contact.
Is my biometric data stored securely? Yes. The system converts your biometric information into secure tokens directly on the payment device. Raw biometric data is managed by merchants, financial institutions, or digital wallet providers rather than being held centrally.
Can I still use my contactless card? Absolutely. The biometric technology is designed to complement existing payment options. You can continue using your contactless card or mobile phone for transactions.
When will this technology be available? Verifone Victa devices launched last month and will be deployed incrementally by retailers as their existing terminals reach the end of their operational lifecycle.
