Ant International has introduced the world’s first iris authentication feature for smart glasses-embedded payment solutions through its Alipay+ GlassPay platform.
Developed in partnership with Asian smart device makers Xiaomi and Meizu, the innovation signals rapid advances in biometric security and user experience that could soon redefine commerce across the region.
The new GlassPay solution combines iris authentication with existing AI-powered voiceprint recognition technology for multi-modal biometric verification on augmented reality (AR) smart glasses.
Recently tested in Hong Kong, it heightens transaction security and convenience, and unlocks seamless, highly personalised customer interactions and payment flows.
Iris authentication is widely regarded as more robust against spoofing than other biometrics due to the high number of feature points analysed with more than 260 for each user with the GlassPay solution.
The technology uses advanced imaging algorithms and liveness detection powered by AI to guarantee security against fraud even in challenging lighting conditions, confirming user identity with a simple glance and zero contact throughout the day. This is complemented by personal encryption keys to ensure rigorous protection of user data and compliance with local regulations.
“Ant International is laser-focused on pushing the frontier of payment from all angles: hardware-embedded consumer services, card+QR interoperability, bank-to-wallet connectivity, AI merchant payment orchestration for agentic commerce, and much, much more,” said Peng Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Ant International.
Biometric payment innovations
Ant International’s initiative follows a wave of biometric payment innovations by both Asian and global tech leaders.
Fingerprint and facial recognition have long been present in major wallets such as Samsung Pay, Apple Pay and WeChat Pay.
More recently, voice and vein authentication have gained traction, notably with Japanese banks and Chinese fintechs piloting palm and vein scanning security for ATMs and mobile apps.
By leveraging Ant International’s proprietary gPass secure connection framework, device makers such as Xiaomi and Meizu can embed these next-generation security features directly into hardware.
“Xiaomi smart glasses are a key component of Xiaomi’s AI terminal strategy. Leveraging Xiaomi’s leading advantages in smart personal devices and an ecosystem of diverse use scenarios, we will expand cooperation with partners worldwide to enrich AI-driven lifestyle experience for consumers worldwide,” said Zhang Lei, Vice President of Mobile Phone Department and General Manager of Wearable Devices at Xiaomi.
“The ultimate goal of smart glasses is to seamlessly integrate technology into our lives. Iris payment solution is a critical step toward this vision — it makes the act of paying feel natural again,” said Guo Peng, Head of XR Business Unit at Xingji Meizu.
This collaboration also allows app developers to expand the scope of AR and AI-driven lifestyle scenarios, from travel bookings to instant mobile payments. The rollout offers a global model, but uniquely addresses Asia Pacific’s diverse e-wallet ecosystem and regulatory landscape.
Entelechy Asia 