A Visa survey showed that a majority (85%) of Canadian consumers are interested in using biometrics to verify their identity or make a payment.
The survey found that nearly 60% of the population were already familiar with biometrics, as 57% had used fingerprint recognition, with 25% using it regularly. Voice biometrics are less common, with 39% reporting experience with the technology and 10% using it regularly. Half of Canadians consumers cite, as the biggest advantage of biometrics, the elimination of passwords and PINs and 44% stated security as a biggest benefit.
Passwords pose security and user experience challenges. 31% of consumers engage in password recycling, using a unique password for all or many accounts. Over a third (32%) of respondent declared having abandoned an online purchase because they could not remember their password. Biometrics were widely (65% of respondents) believed to be easier and faster (57% of respondents) than passwords.
When compared to the result of a similar survey in the United States, Canadians showed to be slightly less enthusiastic than their counterparts.