March 25, 2026
Handwave Research Uncovers the Final CX Barrier to Palm Payments
New research from European fintech company Handwave suggests palm payments could soon become mainstream. It found that nearly half of US consumers would use palm-based payments if they felt confident that their privacy and security were guaranteed. The Censuswide survey of around 2,000 Americans shows reflects a wider trend across the customer experience landscape, where trust in technology is increasingly important as AI expands into everyday interactions such as customer service.
What the research shows
The findings reveal several notable trends. Younger shoppers are driving early adoption, with 46 percent of 25 to 34 year-olds saying they already trust biometrics, compared with 28 percent of over 55s. Across all age groups, 48 percent say they would use palm payments regularly if they trusted how their data was handled.
The survey also reveals customer frustrations with current payment experiences, which Handwave believes could create “fertile ground for biometric alternatives”. Chip and PIN and cash remain the most commonly used methods, yet satisfaction falls below 50 percent in many major US cities. Younger consumers also reject restrictive card-only policies, with high levels of resistance in cities such as Houston, New York and Los Angeles.
Trust is the deciding factor, however. Forty-one percent of respondents worry about how their biometric data will be used, and 55 percent fear data breaches. Almost six in ten do not want to share their email address at checkout, showing fatigue with loyalty programmes. The research also found that only 38 percent trust tech companies to manage facial recognition responsibly, with confidence much lower among older consumers.
Oskars Lakševičs, Chief Revenue Officer, Handwave, summarises the risks and rewards currently in the balance: “Consumers are signalling that speed, convenience and hygiene will define the future of payments, but trust is the tipping point.” He continues: “When people are confident that their data is handled securely, half of all shoppers say they would use palm payments regularly.”
Handwave’s proposed solution
Handwave positions its palm-based payment system as a fast and secure alternative. The company is building a biometric acceptance layer that connects with existing payment networks. Customers can onboard by scanning their palm with their phone and linking their payment and loyalty credentials to a secure digital wallet.
The system uses both surface lines and subdermal vein structures, with encrypted IDs that stay under the user’s control. It includes a liveness check to detect blood flow and prevent spoofing. The company promises a safer and smoother checkout experience for shoppers and operational benefits for retailers.
Trust issues across the CX landscape
Concerns about security, privacy, accuracy and data handling are widespread in the CX industry as AI is rapidly taking over responsibilities across customer journeys. Recent consumer research showing low trust in AI, for example, highlights how hesitant people remain when sensitive information is involved. It’s for good reason too, AI has often been shown to make mistakes despite its habit of presenting generated content as objective fact. As a result, poorly supervised agent assist tools can have negative impacts on both customer and employee experiences, particularly because customers are less forgiving of AI mistakes than human ones, as a Medallia report uncovered recently. Hyper-personalisation is another major theme in CX where transparency must come first if companies want customers to share more data. Research into seasonal shopping behaviours also shows how quickly trust can disappear when expectations are not met. The list goes on.
A clear boundary
The message running through both Handwave’s research and the wider customer experience landscape is that while people are generally pro-innovation, they do not want it to come at the cost of their privacy. Palm payments offer speed and convenience, yet the public still doubts whether any provider can safeguard biometric information responsibly. Unless vendors deliver absolute clarity, strong safeguards and consistent transparency, trust will remain fragile. Palm payments may well be the future, but consumers will decide when that future begins.
