Kiwis could soon be able to pay for a coffee or a pair of jeans using their face or hand. Eftpos New Zealand is launching new biometric-capable payment terminals developed by manufacturer Verifone. The Victa terminals include biometric capabilities around facial recognition and palm vein technology. New Zealand will beone of the first markets globally to have access to the innovation this month. The technology will enable age verification, digital identity and secure payments to happen in a single interaction at the terminal, without the need for a physical card. Verifone believes applications for the new technology are broad and make sense wherever age or identity verification is required, such as at liquor stores or hospitality venues. The company has already completed proof-of-concept trials internationally and the technology is currently being trialled at coffee chain Starbucks overseas. Eftpos New Zealand head of merchant sales and strategic partners Kristy Gregory said the company works with the biggest retailers in New Zealand, so Kiwis can expect them to add a biometrics offering to their businesses in the near future. “As the technology is rolled out by retailers, New Zealanders will have different ways they can pay, including biometrics for those who choose it,” Gregory said. “Eftpos has been part of daily life here for over 40 years. We have the infrastructure, the relationships and the reach to ensure New Zealanders have access to the most capable, most secure payments platform in the world.” Gregory said the evolution of the technology was driven by a shift in what the purpose of a payment terminal is. She said that rather than operating as a single-purpose device that processes transactions, the goal was a platform that runs loyalty programmes, ordering, digital identity, analytics and third-party applications from a single device at the counter. The terminals