Selfie biometrics boom in fintech with new implementations, partnerships

by James · November 16, 2022

Selfie biometrics is expanding into multiple markets, with a new implementation from Amazon, partnerships for Veriff, Sumsub and IDScan.net, and certification for NorthRow. Startup uqudo has hinted at its ambitions in the African market.

Amazon has begun testing selfie biometrics to simplify seller verification.

The retailer plans to use forgery detection, facial recognition and liveness detection to assess the authenticity of government-issued identity documents and whether they match the person applying to sell or not.

The process is currently voluntary and is being tested with potential sellers in the US Amazon store. It reportedly complies with both the BIPA and CCPA regulations.

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Uqudo addresses Africa’s demand for digital ID

Digital identity and selfie biometrics startup uqudo says it is building an “identity layer” to make customer onboarding safer, more efficient and cost-effective across Africa and the Middle East.

Speaking at the Africa Tech Festival, the company’s CEO, Mohamed Fagiri, said uqudo has seen significant growth in recent months, both in Europe and Africa.

Uqudo is currently focused primarily on serving fintechs in the region.

According to the management, uqudo is currently dealing with challenges related to compliance with different identity requirements in different countries.

The company has also recently joined the Smart Africa Alliance as a founding member.

Veriff, Sumsub and IDScan.net are each partners for fintech and gambling markets

The collaboration with the financial services software development company will see Veriff integrate its identity verification (IDV) solutions into the TrueNorth platform.

“TrueNorth is transforming digital experiences in the financial world, and with Veriff as a partner, their customers can now easily incorporate identity verification into their evolving online solutions,” commented Veriff’s head of global partnerships and alliances, Manuel Solis III.

“The partnership not only makes KYC compliance incredibly tangible, but also drives a seamless customer experience for unparalleled customer journeys.”

The integration of Veriff’s technology gives TrueNorth’s fintech customers access to fraud prevention, KYC and identity verification capabilities.

The move comes two months after Veriff formed a similar partnership with mobile app developer Shockoe.

Sumsub has entered into a partnership with the provider of online gaming service Markor Technology. After the start of the collaboration, the companies will be able to provide the companies with improved verification and fraud protection while ensuring compliance.

“Finding a reliable iGaming partner like Markor Technology is an honor for us because we share the same goal of creating a responsible iGaming environment, which enables players to enjoy online games and gambling services freely and safely,” says Sumsub -Chief Andrew Sever.

“We make this a reality by providing end-to-end KYC, KYT and AML solutions to effectively integrate honest users and keep fraudsters out.”

Sumsub recently introduced a new feature to enable enterprises to create user identity verification workflows tailored to specific triggers and risk scenarios.

IDScan.net also announced a B2B collaboration with financial technology provider Jack Henry to provide identity validation for digital account creation via the Jack Henry OpenAnywhere platform.

The solution will now include IDScan.net’s technologies, such as ID scanning and data parsing, facial recognition and liveness checks.

“With identity validation as a key component, combined with automated ID capture, account creation is possible in less than five minutes,” explains Alex Carriles, chief digital officer at Simmons Bank, one of the first institutions to launch digital account opening through OpenAnywhere.

“Digital identity verification enables Simmons Bank to spend less time on paperwork and more time connecting with our customers and providing financial solutions through every stage of life.”

The Jack Henry collaboration comes months after IDScan.net signed a deal with Las Vegas-based Planet 13.

NorthRow receives DIATF certification

Anti-money laundering SaaS company Northrow has received certification under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).

Now an official Identity Service Provider (IDSP), NorthRow will use Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) to perform digital identity checks on behalf of UK and Irish citizens with valid passports.

More recently, NorthRow published an analysis highlighting its role within the global payments ecosystem.

“NorthRow’s cross-border digital solution will automate processes that have previously been a cumbersome and complex set of onboarding tasks and workflows,” writes NorthRow content creator Clare Puplett.

“Using automated processes, NorthRow’s platform delivers accurate and compliant results, efficiently and with reduced churn rates, improving conversion and building loyalty.”