Biometric authentication is becoming increasingly familiar to consumers, from unlocking smartphones with a face or fingerprint to verifying transactions within banking apps. But using biometrics at the point of sale—particularly on a terminal provided by a merchant—may require a different level of trust.
Consumers appear divided on whether they would embrace the technology in a retail setting. While a sizable share say they would be likely to use biometric authentication at a merchant terminal, a substantial portion remain uncomfortable with the idea. The findings suggest that convenience alone may not be enough to drive widespread adoption, and merchants and payments providers will need to address concerns around security, privacy, and trust as biometric payments become more widely available.
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Data for today’s episode is provided by Javelin Strategy & Research’s Report: Emerging Payments Survey 2026: Agent Adoption Surges, Biometric Authentication Grows
Percentage of Consumers Reporting They Are Likely to Use Biometric Authentication at a Terminal Provided by a Merchant
- 24% – very likely to use biometric authentication at a terminal
- 21% – likely to use biometric authentication at a terminal
- 15% – either likely nor unlikely to use biometric authentication at a terminal
- 9% – unlikely to use biometric authentication at a terminal
- 22% – very unlikely to use biometric authentication at a terminal
- 8% – already use biometric authentication at a terminal
Source: Javelin Strategy & Research, North American PaymentsInsights (2024, 2025, 2026)
About Report
Biometric authentication and AI-powered agentic tools are beginning to play a more tangible role in how consumers interact with payments and financial services. New research from Javelin Strategy & Research examines how consumers are adopting these technologies, where interest is strongest, and what could influence broader acceptance.
The research finds that biometrics are already being used by a meaningful share of consumers for financial transactions, although adoption and attitudes vary by generation and application. It also suggests that access to biometric capabilities may be as important to future growth as consumers’ willingness to use them.
The report also examines evolving consumer engagement with AI and agentic tools, including shifts in which solutions consumers prefer and how they are putting them to use. For payments providers, merchants, financial institutions, fintechs, and technology vendors, the findings offer insight into which audiences and applications warrant attention as these technologies mature—and where experimentation, partnerships, and product development could create opportunities.
