Barclays has said will be cutting out the use of PIN numbers and passwords because it is introducing finger scans instead.
Customers will be able to access their online bank accounts by placing a finger in a portable device capable of verifying the finger’s unique vein patterns.
The Barclays Biometric Reader will initially be available to Barclays Corporate Banking clients from 2015 and later to personal account holders.
Barclays believes that its Reader is one of the most secure biometrics available. Vein patterns are hard to replicate and the machine can detect living tissue from dead.
The technology was developed by Hitachi after it was found that the fastidious Japanese were loathe to touch screens if many other people had been using them.
VeinID is already in use by banks and ATMs in Japan and North America.
Barclays is already identifying its Barclays Wealth Customers by voice biometrics and that has ended the need for passwords and security questions.
