BIOMETRIC ATMs - Japanese Palm-reading ATMs to allow Card-free Transactions

Japanese bank palms off customers with biometric ATMs “You are the cash card”, apparently.

Customers of Japan’s Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank will soon be able to access their accounts without a card on ATMs with palm scanners

Biometric technology has been boosting the security of a greater array of electronic devices in recent years, including homes, businesses, schools and even wallets. The technology has also made its way into ATMs as a way to beat card skimmers, but these machines still require customers to insert a card. Now a Japanese bank has announced that it will introduce ATMs that allow customers to carry out transactions with a scan of their palm.

The new ATMs to be introduced this September at 10 branches, a drive-through ATM and two mobile banks by Japan’s Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank will authenticate a customer by only their palm print, their birthdate, and a four-digit PIN – no card required.

Current ATMs with biometric scanners still require a card to authenticate a customer 

After registering their biometric data at a bank branch, customers will be able to withdraw cash and conduct other transactions without a card using the new ATMs. As well as improving customer convenience, the ATMs were developed in response to the large number of people who lost their cards and other forms of personal identification in the wake of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and were unable to access their accounts.