VeryAI has received USD 10 million in seed funding to develop a palm-based identity verification system that leverages the Solana blockchain.
According to official statements, Polychain Capital led the fundraising round, with contributions from the Berggruen Institute and Anagram. Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana, also participated as an angel investor.
The system employs smartphone cameras to capture palm scans, converting them into encrypted biometric signatures without storing the original images. Zero-knowledge proofs enable users to validate their identity across platforms while protecting personal data privacy. The conversion process is irreversible, ensuring that the original scan cannot be reconstructed from the stored signature. Identity verifications are recorded on Solana, eliminating the need for centralized storage.
Addressing AI-generated identity fraud
Palm biometrics were chosen because they offer greater distinctiveness and lower public visibility compared to facial features, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches. The platform is aimed at tackling a significant issue in the crypto industry—AI-generated accounts used in sybil attacks during token distributions, reward farming with fake accounts, and impersonation scams.
Zach Meltzer, founder and CEO of VeryAI, highlighted that the primary goal is to confirm real human action rather than just establishing the existence of a human identity. VeryAI has already partnered with crypto exchanges like MEXC and platforms such as Colosseum, Clique, and Talus, with more central exchanges and wallet providers preparing to incorporate this system.
The launch also signifies growing interest in proof-of-human verification solutions, driven by the increasing ability of AI models to create convincing fake identities at scale. World, co-founded by Sam Altman, employs iris scans for blockchain-based confirmation of human uniqueness. Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has similarly supported identity systems that confirm certain attributes without revealing a user’s full identity.
