The AlipayHK solution combines augmented reality glasses with AI-driven iris scanning and voice authentication for seamless, secure physical retail payments.
When the makers of a super app in Hong Kong faced challenges in delivering seamless and secure consumer payments at physical points of sale while expanding digital interaction channels, they decided to innovate a new solution.
ON 12 November 2025, AlipayHK announced a payment solution embedded in proprietary augmented reality (AR) glasses that feature ‘iris authentication technology’ improve checkout experiences and reduce transaction failures.
The system enables users to complete payments with a glance together with either voice commands or QR code scans, providing a natural and efficient transaction method embedded in wearable devices. This way, merchants on the super app will be able to streamline omnichannel retail experiences while maintaining high security standards. The implementation leverages several advanced technical concepts to ensure security and user convenience:
- Multi-modal biometric verification combining an AI-powered voice interface with ‘intent recognition’, voiceprint authentication, and iris scanning
- Iris authentication verifying over 260 biometric feature points, providing resistance to spoofing attacks using photos, videos, or 3D masks
- Use of AI-driven ‘liveness detection’ and advanced imaging algorithms enabling accurate identity verification under varied lighting conditions without physical contact
- Integration of an end-to-end security suite including personal encryption key schemes to safeguard user biometric and transaction data
- Deployment on smart glasses using augmented reality display technology, voice noise reduction, and camera-based QR code scanning to facilitate payment initiation
- A ‘trusted connection framework’ supporting secure AI digital services and application development for smart glasses
The augmented reality solution blends advanced biometric authentication with AI usability enhancements and security features, to open new channels for consumer interaction while ensuring robust fraud protection.
According to the CEO of Ant International, Peng Yang, hardware-embedded consumer services; card+QR interoperability; bank-to-wallet connectivity; AI merchant payment orchestration and agentic commerce can be leveraged as “an engine for seamless, 24/7 digital payment resilience in a time of great change.”
