Pay with a smile: Verifone brings biometric-capable payment devices to Australia

Verifone’s Victa suite adds built‑in facial‑recognition and palm‑vein scanners to a range of point‑of‑sale devices. When a consumer wishes to use biometric payment, they first enrol through a participating bank, digital‑wallet provider or directly with the merchant. The enrolment process records a biometric template that is stored with the service provider, not on the merchant’s hardware. At the checkout, the shopper selects the biometric option, presents either their face or palm, and the terminal verifies the captured data against the stored profile before authorising the transaction.

"Australians are used to tapping a card or a phone to pay for the things they want and need. Paying with a smile is the next step: a checkout that is secure and connected,”

Media additions

Kristy Gregory, Head of Strategic Partners, Verifone, via Manila Times

The process is fully opt‑in; traditional card, phone or PIN payments remain available at every Victa terminal. Verifone stresses that the biometric option is an additional layer of convenience, not a replacement for existing methods.

Biometric verification is only one capability of the Victa platform. The devices also support loyalty programmes, split‑payment handling, on‑device ordering, charitable donations and a host of third‑party applications. By running on Verifone’s secure operating system, developers can integrate value‑added services directly onto the hardware, creating a unified commerce experience that blends payment with customer engagement.

"Victa runs on Verifone's secure operating system, so third‑party developers can build value‑added services directly onto the platform,”

Ben Hughes, Head of Product for Asia Pacific, Verifone, via Yahoo Finance

The company notes that a similar rollout is already underway in New Zealand, where merchants have begun using the technology for loyalty and alternative payment methods. Australia becomes one of the first Asia‑Pacific markets to receive the biometric‑enabled Victa family.

• Victa Lane – a sleek, customer‑facing unit designed for fast in‑lane checkout, either as a standalone terminal or paired with a larger register.
• Victa Register – a full‑size, merchant‑facing point‑of‑sale solution with a large touchscreen and modular accessories, aimed at high‑volume retailers.
• Victa Mini – an ultra‑portable device for pop‑up shops, curbside service and other space‑constrained environments.
• Victa Mobile and Victa Portable – handheld units for flexible, in‑aisle or high‑traffic commerce.
• Victa Unattended – a rugged, always‑on solution for self‑service kiosks, vending machines, transit ticketing and parking.
• Victa Mobile Ruggedized – built for demanding settings where durability is critical.

All form factors share a common hardware foundation that includes point‑to‑point encryption, tokenisation and compliance with PCI PTS 7.x standards. The biometric template never leaves the enrolment provider’s secure environment, reducing the risk of data exposure on the merchant side.

• Security – devices employ PCI‑approved encryption, tokenisation and a secure operating system that isolates payment data from the biometric profile.
• Sustainability – enclosures are constructed from 60 % recycled plastics; batteries are field‑replaceable and can power a full shift of at least 12 hours on a single charge.
• Accessibility – haptic feedback and audio cues guide visually impaired users through the checkout flow.

Verifone promotes the Victa family as an open ecosystem, citing more than 2,500 integrations worldwide. This openness allows merchants to connect existing back‑office systems, loyalty platforms and third‑party services without extensive custom development.

Verifone announced that the VictA devices will be made available to Australian merchants through the company’s banking and acquiring partners in the coming months.