HUMO, Octobank, and UZINFOCOM Introduce Palm-Based Fare Payment in the Tashkent Metro

HUMO, Octobank, and UZINFOCOM Introduce Palm-Based Fare Payment in the Tashkent Metro

The MyID Palm project introduces the option to pay for metro rides using virtual HUMO cards. The solution integrates HUMO’s payment infrastructure, Octobank’s banking services, and the MyID biometric technology developed by UZINFOCOM. Passengers can now pay for their transit using registered palm biometrics and a virtual HUMO card without needing to take out a smartphone or physical card.

Fare payment via palm biometrics and a virtual HUMO card is now available in the Tashkent Metro. This feature has been implemented as part of the MyID Palm project with the participation of Octobank, powered by the MyID biometric technology developed by UZINFOCOM.

The payment scenario allows passengers to pay for trips by simply holding their palm over a special terminal at the metro turnstile. To use the service, users must pre-register their biometrics and issue a virtual HUMO card. Thus, HUMO's payment infrastructure is integrated with biometric technology, providing users with an additional cashless payment option in urban public transport.

How to Pay with Your Palm

To use the MyID Palm service, users must complete registration at a MyID Palm self-service kiosk located at a metro station or at an Octobank branch. Following identification, the user registers their palm biometrics, issues a virtual HUMO card, and waits for its activation.

Next, the card must be topped up. When passing through the turnstile, the passenger holds their palm over a dedicated terminal, after which the payment is processed using the registered biometrics and the linked payment instrument.

This payment method eliminates the need to pull out a card or smartphone right at the turnstile. However, using the service requires completing all prior registration and connection steps in advance.

Biometric Identification and Payment Security

Before using MyID Palm, the user undergoes identification and registers their palm biometrics. The technology recognizes the unique vein pattern of the palm, allowing for secure user identification during fare payment. To connect the service, users must also issue and activate a virtual HUMO card.

As a result, the payment is linked to the user’s registered profile and their virtual HUMO card, rather than merely relying on the physical act of presenting a palm to the terminal. This enables biometric identification to serve as an advanced additional layer in the payment process.

HUMO: A Payment Infrastructure for New User Scenarios

The advancement of cashless payments involves not only expanding the card acceptance network but also integrating payment infrastructure with cutting-edge technologies and services. The MyID Palm project demonstrates how biometric identification can be applied to everyday payment scenarios, including public transit fare collection.

"For HUMO, the development of payment infrastructure means not only expanding cashless payment capabilities, but also integrating secure, modern technologies into everyday scenarios. The MyID Palm project shows how payment solutions can interact with biometric services, offering users innovative payment methods. We are keen to develop such solutions that expand the application scope of HUMO and make digital payments an organic part of the urban environment," noted Alexander Sotnikov, Chairman of the Management Board of HUMO.

Technologies Integrated into Daily Life

The use of biometrics in public transport is a prime example of how digital solutions extend beyond conventional methods of interacting with payment services. Instead of presenting a physical medium, the user completes pre-registration, after which they can use their palm biometrics to pay for rides.

For passengers, this offers an additional payment option; for the payment infrastructure, it represents an innovative cashless application scenario. Such integrations expand the potential of digital services and establish a foundation for the further development of modern payment solutions in Uzbekistan.

HUMO continues to develop the country’s payment infrastructure and participate in initiatives that make cashless payments more accessible, while simplifying everyday transactions for users.