Hey there, tech lovers! Today, let’s dive into an exciting wave of biometric payment technology happening in Europe.

While Amazon’s palm recognition service, Amazon One, has already been adopted in thousands of stores in the U.S., a new European contender is emerging. Latvia’s startup Handwave has developed an independent palm payment system specifically for retail, aiming to offer a faster, contactless checkout option without relying on the Amazon model.

This technology isn’t just about convenience; it uses vein patterns in the palm and verifies physical presence, making transactions secure and seamless. Although similar systems exist in China with Tencent’s Weixin Palm Pay, Handwave is focused on deploying its tech across European retail chains.

Having spent three years fine-tuning its hardware and software, Handwave is preparing for pilot projects in stores. Merchants will pay a transaction fee comparable or lower than traditional payments, promising both savings and speed for customers — say goodbye to cards, apps, or fingerprint scans.

Led by CEO Janis Stirna and cofounder Sandis Osmanis-Usmanis, who previously worked at global payment provider Worldline, the startup aims to partner widely with banks and financial institutions. A recent agreement with Visa could accelerate its deployment across borders.

Operating from Riga, Handwave benefits from lower operational costs and a startup ecosystem rich in AI talent. With seed funding of $4.2 million from Baltic and Polish investors, the startup is gearing up for market testing and regulatory approvals, betting on Europe’s strict standards to build trust and credibility.

As biometric payments become more mainstream — with China already leading — Handwave strives to carve out its niche by offering a cheaper, easier, and more private payment method for retail stores. Only time will tell if this European-based palm payment system will truly flourish in the global market.