Amazon One Is Shutting Down — What Happens to Your Palm Scans and Payments

Amazon One is ending on March 31, 2025

Amazon announced in January 2025 that it will shut down Amazon One, the palm-scanning payment system it launched in 2020. If you enrolled your palm print at an Amazon Go store, Whole Foods, or another location that used the technology, your account will stop working at the end of March 2025. Amazon will delete your palm print data and any stored payment methods linked to the service.

This does not affect your Amazon.com account, your credit cards, or any other payment method you use elsewhere. It only affects the specific palm-scanning terminals where you may have used Amazon One to pay in person.

Key Takeaways

• Amazon One palm-scanning payment stops working on March 31, 2025, and Amazon will delete all enrolled palm print data.
• You can still shop at Amazon Go stores and Whole Foods after that date using a credit card, debit card, or your phone instead.
• If you linked a specific credit card or payment method only to Amazon One, you should update your payment information at other retailers now.
• Amazon One was never widely adopted outside Amazon's own stores, so most people will not be affected by this shutdown.

Where Amazon One was used and what stops working

Amazon One terminals were installed primarily at Amazon Go convenience stores and some Whole Foods locations. A smaller number of third-party retailers and airports tested the technology, but adoption remained limited. After March 31, 2025, you will not be able to use your palm print to pay at any of these locations.

Amazon Go stores will remain open. You will simply need to use a different payment method — a credit card, debit card, or the Amazon Go app on your phone. Whole Foods will continue operating normally with all existing payment options available.

What happens to your palm print and payment data

Amazon will automatically delete your enrolled palm print from its servers. The company stated it will also remove any payment methods you linked specifically to Amazon One. You do not need to do anything to request deletion — it will happen automatically when the service ends.

Your Amazon.com account and any payment methods stored there remain unchanged. If you used a credit card with Amazon One, that card itself is still active and can be used everywhere else it is accepted.

How to pay at Amazon Go and Whole Foods after the shutdown

Starting April 1, 2025, you have three main options at Amazon Go stores. You can tap or insert a physical credit or debit card at the checkout terminal. You can also use the Amazon Go mobile app, which lets you scan a QR code or use your phone to complete the transaction. Some locations may accept other mobile payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay, though this varies by store.

At Whole Foods, payment methods have not changed — you can use any credit card, debit card, or mobile payment option that Whole Foods already accepts. The shutdown of Amazon One does not affect Whole Foods' existing checkout process.

If you enrolled in Amazon One but rarely used it

Most people who enrolled in Amazon One did so out of curiosity rather than regular use. If you signed up at an Amazon Go store once or twice and never returned, the shutdown will have no practical effect on your life. Your palm print will be deleted, and that is the end of it.

You do not need to contact Amazon or take any action. The deletion happens automatically, and there is no opt-out process.

Why Amazon is discontinuing the service

Amazon never disclosed specific reasons for the shutdown, but Amazon One faced several obstacles. Adoption was slow — most shoppers preferred using their phones or cards, which were already familiar and faster. Privacy concerns also limited interest; many people were uncomfortable enrolling their biometric data even with a major retailer. The technology required special hardware at checkout, which was expensive to install and maintain across many locations.

Amazon's focus shifted to other payment innovations, including its cashierless Just Walk Out technology, which uses cameras and sensors instead of requiring customer enrollment. That system proved more scalable and did not require customers to share biometric information.

What this means for biometric payment technology overall

Amazon One's shutdown does not mean biometric payments are disappearing. Fingerprint and face recognition are built into most smartphones and are widely used for unlocking devices and authorizing payments through apps. However, enrolling a separate biometric system specifically for in-store checkout — where you have to register at each retailer — proved to be a harder sell.

Other retailers and payment companies continue experimenting with biometric checkout, but adoption remains limited. Most in-store payments still rely on cards, phones, or traditional checkout methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to do anything before March 31, 2025?

No. Amazon will handle the deletion automatically. If you want to verify your payment methods are set up elsewhere before the shutdown, you can log into your Amazon account and check your saved payment options, but this is optional.

Will my Amazon.com account be affected?

No. Only the Amazon One palm-scanning payment system is ending. Your Amazon.com account, your Prime membership, and all payment methods stored in your Amazon account remain active and unchanged.

Can I use Amazon One after March 31, 2025?

No. The terminals will stop accepting palm scans on March 31, 2025. After that date, you must use a credit card, debit card, or mobile payment method at Amazon Go and other locations that previously accepted Amazon One.

What if I enrolled my palm print at an airport or third-party store?

The shutdown applies everywhere Amazon One was used. Your palm print will be deleted from all locations, and you will not be able to use the service at any retailer or airport terminal after March 31, 2025.

Is my palm print data safe until the shutdown?

Amazon stated that palm print data was encrypted and stored separately from payment information. The company has not reported any breaches of Amazon One data. Your information will be deleted when the service ends.