Iris Scanners Allow Access to Bank Accounts Without Pin or Card

We all hear about how we need to keep our accounts safe, but who remembers all their passwords to all their different accounts? Who can say that they haven’t used the same password for several websites before? Even with password managers apparently making passwords redundant according to GCHQ, we still use them for everything from logging into your phone to filing your bank returns. So what about when it comes to your money? A four digit pin? Why not use an iris scanner to access your bank account.

Jordan is the first country to deploy iris scanning technology, with help from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), to help users access their bank accounts, with the system being used to help refugees access their bank accounts without a bank card or pin. With around 23,000 families using the system to receive aid, the system is working well.

By removing the need for a person to check details before handing out the cash the UNHCR feels like this is a step in the right direction, giving both the refugees and the UNHCR a feeling of control and freedom. With the hopes that the system could be deployed to all of UNHCR’s current cash assistance programmes, you have to wonder how long before typing in a password becomes a thing you’ll tell your grandchildren about.