Tag: Press

Munich, April 12, 2023 – IDnow, a leading European platform provider for identity proofing, has recorded an increase in transactions with the German online ID function (eID) by more than a factor of four for the year 2022. This means that eID usage at the Munich-based identity expert is growing much faster than the nationwide eID transaction figures, which increased by around 19% from 2021 to 2022, according to the OZGDB.

When reading out sensitive eID data, IDnow can rely on its own eID authorization certificate, issued by the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt). The certificate allows IDnow, in cooperation with the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei), to read out the eID online ID card function in accordance with the Identity Card Act (Personalausweisgesetz, PAuswG) for identity verification.

Electronic ID card: Advantages of NFC technology

At IDnow, growth has been driven primarily by the more highly regulated industries such as the financial and eGovernment sectors. It is in these sectors, in particular, that the electronic ID card with its NFC-based (near field communication) online ID function can show its strengths. Fraud prevention with this method is particularly high because the chip integrated in the ID card is extremely forgery-proof. Thanks to the high level of security, the solution is compliant with both the German Money Laundering Act (Geldwäschegesetz, GWG) and the Telecommunications Act (Telekommunikationsgesetz, TKG).

As a sovereign-notified procedure, the eID online ID function offers the highest level of security among identification procedures. In addition, the identity check with the eID takes only a few minutes and is fully automated, i.e., it can be processed without service employees.

Only 8% of the population have used the eID

Despite the recent positive developments, the penetration rate of this identification method among the German population remains at a low level. IDnow’s Digital Identity Index 2023 recently showed that even more than 10 years after its introduction, the eID function is hardly used on a broad scale. According to the YouGov survey, only 8% of the population has ever used it.

Private identification solutions such as video identification procedures in a video chat (38%) or on-site identification in a post office branch (40%) continue to dominate the German market.

One reason for this is the unfamiliarity of the eID solution – according to the Index, only 7% of the German population has any idea what the term “eID” means. The lack of use cases in everyday life, as well as the comparatively poor user-friendliness of the solution, also contribute to the fact that the method is used so little. Both a 6-digit PIN and an NFC-enabled smartphone are required. Data transmission via the NFC interface often causes users problems when reading it out.

“To counteract the low level of awareness of the solution, Germany needs extensive marketing and awareness campaigns by politicians and the private sector on the one hand. On the other hand, financial service providers, mobility providers, and telecommunications companies must dare to implement the solution in their onboarding processes. An increased range of use cases will automatically have a positive effect on awareness of the eID. All players, politics as well as businesses, must work closely together to make the eID a success after all,” explains Armin Bauer, co-founder and Managing Director Technology at IDnow.

Platform approach allows integration of different identification solutions

In the future, IDnow expects a further increase in the number of eID users due to various political decisions such as the Online Access Act (Onlinezugangsgesetz, OZG), the introduction of the BundID in additional federal states and the flat-rate energy fee for students. The higher penetration rate of NFC-enabled smartphones and onboarding in the digital wallet planned by the EU will also have a positive impact on penetration in the future.

“We see ourselves very well equipped for these developments with our platform approach. After all, there will never be one, dominant solution in identity verification, as the needs of younger, older, tech-savvy or less-savvy people differ greatly. Instead, we rely on a wide range of different identification solutions to address all citizens’ needs,” Bauer continued. “If the user has misplaced their PIN or the smartphone’s NFC interface doesn’t work, for example, they can seamlessly switch to an alternative identification solution like VideoIdent on our platform and reliably complete the onboarding process.”

Cooperation enables identity verification of users and signing of documents directly in Microsoft Teams

Warsaw and Munich, 12 January, 2023 – Billennium, a global IT solutions provider for businesses, has announced that it is partnering with IDnow, a leading identity proofing platform provider in Europe. Thanks to the cooperation, Billennium’s Inperly app allows Microsoft Teams users to check identities and sign documents with qualified electronic signatures, using ID documents from 200+ countries.

Inperly, an application developed by Billennium, supports remote customer service, consulting, and sales processes on Microsoft Teams. Billennium has recently implemented automated identity proofing and e-signatures services from IDnow into its app. The new feature allows the issuing of a one-time qualified signature (QES), equivalent to a handwritten signature within the European Union. The feature can be used in most EU countries.

“By integrating Inperly with IDnow solutions, companies and institutions can conveniently, quickly, and securely verify a user’s identity and sign documents with qualified signatures within Microsoft Teams. Our solution helps companies in the digitalization of documentation workflow and prevents fraud attempts. It can be successfully used in government institutions, banks, insurance companies, universities, HR firms and other organizations offering their services remotely,” commented Tomasz Goźliński, Head of Products at Billennium.

“Helping build trust in the digital world is one of our main goals and enabling our partners to create secure and trustworthy relationships is part of our mission. Our all-in-one solution with a qualified electronic signature is paired with remote identity proofing and is compliant with Anti-Money Laundering European Regulation, which ensures secure conversations with Inperly on Microsoft Teams for all parties. Checking or proving who you are is fast and easy, thanks to automated verifications based on AI. This cooperation thus helps to prevent identity theft by biometric checks and electronic signature,” said Bertrand Bouteloup, Vice President of Sales at IDnow.

More information about the application can be found at Inperly.com.

London, November 9, 2022 – Eyas Gaming, an operator in the online gaming industry, has selected IDnow, a leading European identity proofing platform provider, to deploy automated identity verification for the onboarding of their customers in an ever-growing UK gaming market. Based in Malta and Gibraltar, Eyas initially launched in the UK market, offering market leading slots-led sites with content from renowned providers. The operator currently holds a gaming license in Malta and the UK and is in the process of securing a license in Germany.

Even safer and more convenient verification for players.

“We are passionate about what we do, and we work with others collaboratively to achieve our business goals,” says Rory Howard, Managing Director at Eyas Gaming. “We were looking for a solution that is scalable to allow us to expand into different markets, while providing a secure and fast verification process for our players. Together with IDnow, we are now ready to provide an even safer and more convenient verification for our players. Thanks to this collaboration, we are fully ready to take on the UK gaming market, while already looking towards Germany and building an industry-leading team to roll out our services there.”

Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk, Director Global Gaming & UK/I at IDnow, comments: “We are excited to be working with Eyas Gaming and look forward to enhancing their player onboarding and identity verification process in the UK, Germany and beyond. With our AutoIdent solution, we are making sure that Know Your Customer (KYC) is an enabler for Eyas, not a burden. 

“At IDnow, we always make sure that a business relationship is mutually beneficial and that we really listen to what our customers have to say. Our product is developed by and for the iGaming industry, ensuring we don’t cut corners and provide a solution that is tailor-made to every operator’s needs whether the solution is fully automated or hybrid.”  

Both current players and new ones who wish to sign up for Eyas Gaming brands will go through an automated document verification process with IDnow AutoIdent. The AI-based identity verification solution helps businesses proof the authenticity of their customers through their identity documents in just a few minutes, making the digital onboarding process scalable, secure and highly assured.

Research from IDnow reveals customers’ disgruntlement with time heavy procedures in traditional banking

Manchester and London, October 13 2022: New research from IDnow, a leading identity proofing platform provider, has revealed that 64% of Britons believe digital processes such as remote account opening, online banking options or an easy-to-use app were either extremely important or important when deciding who to bank with. This highlights an obvious demand for easy and more efficient banking processes. 

On the flipside, almost half (47%) of the 2,001 UK adult respondents were most annoyed by the time constraints involved with banking, including limited opening hours of local branches (22%), lengthy processes (16%) and having to visit a branch to open an account (9%). 

This presents a significant opportunity for both traditional and challenger banks to harness the current appetite in the UK for digital-led processes. 

Online safety concerns and ease of use remain in the minds of customers 

The research also revealed that more than half of those surveyed had opened a bank account online (53%) with the same percentage also stating they felt safe and secure to do so. However, that did leave 47% of respondents feeling it was unsafe, with more than a third (37%) citing digital bank fraud and cybercrime as the main reasons for this.

This highlights the need for banks, both traditional and challenger, to address the concerns of consumers when it comes to fraud, and ensure they have stringent onboarding processes that meet the highest security standards. 

Fintech versus traditional banking 

Despite continued growth in the fintech sector, only a quarter (24%) of respondents banked with a challenger bank, though in the London city region this figure rose to 32%. Meanwhile, 15% admitted to being concerned about making mistakes in the onboarding process and 13% had either cancelled or abandoned the process of opening a digital bank account, suggesting that banks need to make their onboarding process as smooth and frictionless as possible for their users. 

“The past two years have acted as a major catalyst in digital adoption across every sector, and this research illustrates how important digital processes continue to be for consumers,” said Mike Kiely, Sales Director for Financial Services from IDnow.

“It’s interesting to see that the majority of respondents still bank with a traditional bank. The demand for more digital processes remains high though, which presents a huge opportunity for those institutions equipped and prepared to embrace technologies that will enable them to provide the online services that many have come to expect,” he added. 

Adoption of digital varies by age

When delving deeper, those aged 55 or over are least likely to have opened a bank account digitally (37%) compared to nearly two thirds (63%) of 18-24-year-olds and 35-44-year-olds and 62% of 25-34-year-olds, showing a clear age gap in the adoption of digital services. Therefore, banks should provide freedom of choice for their customers, offering them the processes that fit them best. And while digital bank accounts are most popular with 18-24-year-olds, this age group is also the most likely to abandon or cancel opening a remote bank account (24%), suggesting higher expectations for the onboarding process from those most digitally savvy. 

Similarly, this young age group also feel the most unsafe when it comes to opening a bank account digitally, with only 41% saying ‘yes’ to feeling safe and secure compared to 60% of 35-44-year-olds. 

“The threat for young adults looks set to continue, unless businesses up their game and also educate people on the need to protect their own information,” explained Mike Kiely. 

“With young people spending so much of their time online, there are naturally more potential touchpoints for fraudsters to target. Meanwhile, older generations tend to be naturally less trusting of digital, so some fraudsters may see young adults as an easier target.

“Many young adults have a heightened awareness of the potential risks associated with digital activity. This is supported by the statistic which showed that cybercrime is their biggest worry (20%). 

“To overcome these concerns and capitalise on this growing market, it’s vital for banks to invest in the right technologies that will deliver the highest levels of security at every stage of the digital banking process while also addressing the demand of a smooth and simple user experience,” he concluded.  

Notes to editors

Survey commissioned by IDnow to establish current views on banking in the UK. The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers (RWB). All surveys were conducted between 8^th August – 11^th August 2022. The sample size comprised 2,001 UK adults. 

Customer attitudes to digital banking in the UK

Learn to better understand customer feeling towards identity proofing and digital banking services in the UK.

Get your free copy now

The new European standard for identity proofing, electronic signatures and trust services, developed in collaboration with regulatory expertise from the private sector 

Munich, October 6, 2022 – IDnow, a leading European provider for identity proofing, is one of the first companies to receive the ETSI TS 119 461 certification, a new European technical standard for identity proofing for trust services, and especially qualified electronic signatures (QES). This certification enables IDnow to continue to provide compliant identity proofing solutions for trust services and act as Identity Proofing Service Provider (IPSP) for Trust Service Providers (TSP).

Technical standard raises the security level across the industry

The standard was first released in July 2021 by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and defines security best practices for different ident methods, including on-site, video, automated hybrid, and NFC-based solutions. With one of the broadest platforms of identity verification solutions, IDnow offers a fitting solution for all these categories.

The new technical specification revamps the policy and security requirements for identity proofing and trust services by introducing a new minimum Level of Identity Proofing (LoIP) which is aligned with the requirements of eIDAS.

Therefore, the standard raises the security level across the identity proofing industry and provides the foundation for issuing qualified electronic signatures and other trust services in the future. Furthermore, ETSI TS 119 461 is expected to influence and be a foundation to further industry regulations, such as the upcoming update to the 6th European Anti-Money-Laundering Act (AMLD6) and the new eIDAS 2.0 framework.

“We welcome ETSI TS 119 461 as the new industry benchmark and especially the introduction of the new minimum Level of Identity Proofing (LoIP), something IDnow has been demanding for years. This will contribute to harmonizing minimum requirements in identity proofing and raises the level of security requirements and quality expectations across the industry,” says Armin Bauer, Managing Director Technology & Co-Founder of IDnow.

The importance of collaboration between lawmakers and private industry experts

The creation of this new industry benchmark demonstrates the importance of involving the private sector in the development of industry-wide standards. 

“We are proud to have obtained the ETSI TS 119 461 certification because it clearly demonstrates that our IDnow platform fulfills the latest requirements in identity proofing for trust services. At the same time, we are quite pleased to have been selected as one of the private industry experts that contributed to the creation of this industry standard through the ETSI Special Task Force 588. As innovations in digital identity evolve both nationally and at the EU level, collaboration between technology leaders and policy makers is as relevant as ever,” says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow.

IDnow delivers identity verification and authentication for Adobe Acrobat Sign Digital Identity Gateway 

Munich, September 29, 2022 – IDnow, a leading identity proofing platform provider in Europe, announces a global collaboration with Adobe Document Cloud, the world’s leading PDF and e-signature tools solution, to make identify verification for validated signatures simpler and more secure.  

Legally compliant signing with a qualified electronic signature (QES) requires users to identify themselves before signing a document. But even for an advanced electronic signature (AES), it can be beneficial to have upstream identification and authentication of the signing party. Adobe Acrobat Sign Digital Identity Gateway allows organizations to select from a wide variety of pre-configured third-party digital identity providers (IDP) and leverage the type of identity verification that best suits their functional, security, or compliance needs. IDP services for user authentication, signer identity verification, and identity federation solutions utilize the standard OpenID Connect (OIDC) authentication protocol to integrate with Acrobat Sign. IDnow is now an Adobe Acrobat Sign Digital Identity Gateway provider. 

Identity verification via IDnow AutoIdent or VideoIdent for electronic signatures  

With Digital Identity gateway, Acrobat Sign users automatically receive notification when a particular type of identity verification is required to access and sign the document. After the user consents, the identification process is passed on to the IdP service. Once the identity check has been successfully completed, the user can access the document and then sign it electronically with their verified identity in a secure and legally compliant manner.

The IDnow integration will enable Adobe Acrobat Sign users to verify their identity using either IDnow AutoIdent or VideoIdent to create legally binding e-signatures as soon as the solution launches. The new authentication capabilities will also be available to customers using Acrobat Sign through native integrations on platforms such as Workday, Salesforce, Microsoft, or Google.  

In addition to IDnow VideoIdent and AutoIdent, Adobe Acrobat Sign users can authenticate via the IDnow Wallet in the future. Users who already have a verified identity stored in their IDnow Wallet will thus be able to skip the identity verification process.

“We are pleased to support Adobe with their new Digital Identity Gateway and to be part of a solution that provides users with a secure and straightforward signature process. In the future, not only Adobe customers will benefit from the cooperation between the two companies – our customers will also be able to use their familiar IDnow solutions via the Acrobat Sign platform. In the future, we plan to intensify the cooperation and expand it in further use cases,” says Johannes Leser, Vice President Trust Services at IDnow.  

“Secure and user-friendly electronic signatures, and thus secure authentication and identity verification of the signing party, are becoming increasingly important in the digital world. This is true worldwide and for all industries. We are therefore pleased to have IDnow as a reliable partner for identity verification through our Digital Identity Gateway,” adds Andrea Valle, Product Management Lead Adobe Acrobat Sign.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 28 September, 2022 – Leading digital identity proofing platform provider, IDnow, has announced a UAE collaboration with UBIRCH, a leading German trust platform provider with regional headquarters in Dubai. For the launch of one of the world’s first KYCT (know-your-customer token) solutions, UBIRCH partners with IDnow. The solution proves the identity and ownership of crypto wallet holders and origin of minted assets, such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens). 

The UAE has one of the highest rates of NFT ownership in the world, with 23 percent of the population owning at least one, which is around double the global average*. Many of the early crypto exchanges did not require a KYC check, which has led to a lack of trust in NFTs and a gap between the creator (maker) of an NFT and the buyer. Combined with identity theft, challenges with proving ownership and origins of an asset in a legally binding contract and ensuring digital art can be protected are current market barriers that must be overcome. At the same time, the cryptocurrency industry is rapidly changing and so are the regulation requirements. Therefore, the leading companies in crypto trading worldwide now enforce strong KYC policies, in order to comply with AML and KYC regulations.

Karim Attia, CEO of UBIRCH said, “The UAE is one of the leading countries for adoption of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. To support the popularity and growth of digital assets, our partnership with IDnow will enable us to create the most secure and trusted process for verifying identity and proof of origin, yet. Ultimately, this technology is essential to protect individuals, businesses, brands, creators and the entire financial ecosystem in a decentralized environment.”

Benjamin Haas, Senior Director EMEA of IDnow group said, “Bringing an additional identity layer to digital assets adds trust and credibility to the entire Web3 including crypto exchanges, NFTs and other financial offerings. Secure verification proves the identity of the creator and provides authenticity to the ownership of NFTs. It helps to close the gap between the NFT creator and the buyer, while reassuring the buyer that what they are purchasing is genuine.”

The KYCT technology (kyct.xyz) addresses some of the challenges of the crypto and NFT community in ensuring that identity – both digital and legal – and proof of origin are accurate. The two companies join forces through UBIRCH’s trusted backend for proving that an asset belongs to a creator and was anchored at a specific time, and IDnow’s leading identity proofing platform that confirms the customer’s legal identity with the help of an official identification document. 

While NFTs have been popularized through digital art, the technology can also be applied across a range of sectors, such as the tokenization of digital health records, as digital access-passes and tickets for events, or any occurrence where a tokenized model can be applied to acting parties and digital assets.

UBIRCH was founded in Germany in 2014 and has since expanded its global presence to the UAE, with offices in Dubai and Tel Aviv, Israel. As cybersecurity expert, UBIRCH brings advanced technology that propels digital transformation. UBIRCH is driven by a team of professionals who believe data-driven processes will provide many cross-industry exciting businesses, such as in the manufacturing industry, smart cities, insurance, healthcare, energy supply or logistics segments. UBIRCH is renowned through the contract awarded by the German Ministry of Health to develop, together with a consortium, the digital COVID certificate for the EU for Germany, based on UBIRCH technology.

*UAE NFT ownership figure from finder.com survey of 1,004 people in the UAE and 28,000 people globally.

IDnow is supporting IATA to simplify the passenger journey through digital identity

Munich, September 13, 2022 – IDnow, a leading European identity proofing platform provider, is pleased to announce its participation in the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Accelerate@IATA 2022 accelerator program. IDnow is working with IATA and its members, providing expertise and regulatory know-how in the field of identity proofing and digital identity. Together, IATA and IDnow are working on the shared goal of making flying more seamless and low-touch for passengers, while lowering fraud risks for airlines. 

IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 290 airlines or 83% of total air traffic. As a leading industry association, IATA is shaping industry standards and the future of aviation.

Through the Accelerate@IATA program, IDnow is contributing to the IATA One ID working group. The goal of IATA One ID is to set industry standards that further streamline the passenger journey with digitalization of admissibility and a contactless process through secure biometric enabled identification. Under the One ID vision, upon completing document checks remotely, passengers will be able to arrive at the airport ready to fly and proceed through each airport touchpoint via simple biometric recognition. The objective is to achieve a truly interoperable global system across airports, airlines and governments.

IDnow is collaborating with airlines and other technology providers members of the IATA Think Tank on a white paper about the application of digital identity in the air travel industry. In parallel, a proof of concept is being developed to show how digital identity can support people with reduced mobility with traveling, and airlines and airports to prioritize the required staff for the necessary support.

“We are very pleased to have IDnow participation in the heart of industry innovation conversations. IDnow brings their expertise on the secure decentralized digital identity to support the airline industry for the journey to customer-centricity.” – Kat R. Morse, Senior Manager Innovation, Partnerships and Events at IATA.

“We understand that in the modern air travel industry, digital identities have a huge potential to shape a whole new traveler experience. From lowering the fraud risk for airlines, to creating a more seamless and low-touch experience for passengers and offering a GDPR compliant solution for storing and sharing of biometric pictures for airports and other players – Digital identity is the key. We are excited and proud to have been selected by IATA to work together and to partner with some of the most prestigious airlines of the world to shape the future of air travel”, says Michael A. Binner, Director Digital Identity at IDnow.

– ADR approval confirms the group’s leading position in the European digital identity market

– The company is the first to offer two ADR compliant identity verification solutions in Romania

– ARIADNEXT merged with IDnow in June 2021, integrating the IDcheck.io solution into the IDnow group portfolio

Bucharest, September 7^th, 2022 – IDnow, a European leader in identity proofing and digital identity, announced today that it has obtained the approval of the Authority for the Digitalization of Romania (ADR) for its second identity verification solution in a row. The group’s IDcheck.io KYC (Know Your Customer) solution has been approved as compliant with Article 4 of the ADR Remote Identification Standard that came into force on July 22, 2022. The decision comes just weeks after the ADR conformity for IDnow group’s AutoIdent+QES solution. 

Two compliant identity verification solutions for different customer needs 

The IDnow group solution AutoIdent+QES, already eIDAS certified by TÜV Austria in Italy, was approved by the ADR in May 2022. The 100% automated solution IDCheck.io had already been certified under ETSI TS 119 461, the European Standard for remote identity proofing services. IDCheck.io has successfully finished the audit for the ADR and given its existing certification, has been declared compliant with Article 4 of ADR law, thus enabling IDnow group to position this identification method on the regulated market. 

These two ADR approved services, a first for any identity proofing provider in Europe, allow the company to address different customer needs – both for full customer journeys that include identification and digital signatures, and identification-only requirements. With these two solutions, financial institutions and banks in Romania can fulfill all their KYC requirements by offering their customers a fully secure digital onboarding experience that is AML-compliant.  

Broad portfolio via a single platform   

The acceleration of advanced digital business models across Romania and Europe has led to a shift in demand, from single-product identity verification towards more comprehensive identity proofing and document signing platforms. By offering one of the broadest portfolios in Europe via a single platform, IDnow group is at the forefront of these market trends and can offer reliable, secure and convenient KYC processes for its customers. 

Oliver Obitayo, Chief Commercial Officer at IDnow, says: “By combining IDnow, ARIADNEXT and IdentityTM, IDnow group has emerged as one of the strongest identity verification players in Europe as we offer customers a range of solutions for various use cases and jurisdictions – all from a single source. As a group, we believe in a strategy that moves far beyond offering a single identity verification method. The second ADR approval for our products within a few weeks is proof of this. We are proud to be able to address the entire range of customer needs in Romania when it comes to a fully digital and secure onboarding.”

European identity proofing and digital identity provider IDnow announces the successful arrangement of a new debt facility from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock providing access to €60 million for growth.

Munich, Germany, August 3, 2022 – IDnow, a leading European identity proofing and digital identity provider, has successfully arranged a new debt facility from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock that provides up to €60 million in financing. The debt facility will enable IDnow to leverage its existing market-leading identity platform. The company intends to use the capital to scale investments across a range of strategic initiatives including the introduction of new identity proofing solutions, continued geographic expansion, and potential acquisitions. 

IDnow was founded in 2014 in Munich and offers a comprehensive suite of identity proofing solutions addressing a wide range of mission-critical use cases from low to high assurance levels. IDnow serves over 900 sector-leading enterprise customers across multiple verticals with coverage of 195 countries. The company is a demonstrated technology leader, with advanced AI-driven capabilities and a vertical orchestration platform maximising conversion and accuracy.

Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow states: “We are proud to have been able to raise financing to support IDnow’s business objectives to further grow the company. Securing this debt facility from BlackRock reflects their high confidence in the strength of our business. The funding comes at the perfect time for IDnow to continue driving our ambitious growth strategy and we look forward to working with BlackRock.”

Joe Lichtenberger, CFO of IDnow added: “This financing facility caps a string of commercial successes that continue to propel IDnow’s strong growth. The facility will allow us to continue investments in our growth areas. BlackRock is a great partner for IDnow going forward.”

The KJM confirms that IDnow’s solutions IDnow Wallet and IDnow eID are officially suitable for age verification in accordance with the youth protection treaty (JMStV) in Germany.  

Munich, July 21, 2022, IDnow, a leading European provider in the field of identity proofing and digital identities, is pleased to announce that two further solutions, specifically the IDnow Wallet and IDnow eID, have been positively assessed by the German Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM) for the use of age verification. This means that there are now five solutions from IDnow group among the age verification systems rated as positive by the KJM.  

The IDnow Wallet, in particular, will allow users to confirm their age faster than ever before. With its Digital Identity Wallet, IDnow offers an innovative way to safely and securely store a person’s digital identity on their own smartphone to reuse it later. 

The identity is verified once – in just a few steps – using one of the IDnow identification methods. The data is saved exclusively on the user’s smartphone and encrypted with the help of the Secure Element. The data is not stored centrally. Once verified, users can then reuse their stored identity within the IDnow ecosystem for many different use cases. This saves users of the IDnow Wallet from having to repeatedly verify their identity. 

With its IDnow Wallet and IDnow eID, the company is pleased to offer two more solutions for online age verification, which have been rated positively by the KJM. With its broad range of identification methods, IDnow becomes a significantly stronger partner for the protection of minors in Germany.  

Background: Protection of minors from harmful media  

According to the German Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV), certain content harmful to minors, such as gambling or pornography, may only be distributed online if the provider ensures access through closed, adults-only user groups. So-called age verification systems (AV systems) are used to ensure such closed, adults-only user groups. In order to provide legal and planning security, the KJM publishes a list of evaluated age verification systems that meet the legal requirements.  

For further information please see the official press releases of the KJM:  

1. Positive evaluation of IDnow Wallet (June 2022)  

2. Positive evaluation of IDnow eID (June 2022)  

3. Positive evaluation of IDnow AutoIdent (March 2020)  

4. Positive evaluation of IDnow VideoIdent (June 2015 & October 2020)    

5. Positive evaluation of IdentityTM (now IDnow) Identity Age Check (April 2015)  

Ankaa partners with identity proofing platform to offer digital verification for seafaring roles 

Manchester and London, July 21, 2022: Leading European provider for identity proofing, IDnow, has announced Ankaa as its latest UK channel partner. As one of the first fully automated solution in the maritime sector, the partnership will enable Ankaa to quickly and efficiently confirm the identities of candidates applying for jobs at sea providing comfort to operators, owners and financial compliance.  

The entirely automated processes offered by Ankaa, now including identity proofing, have significantly reduced the amount of time it takes to onboard a candidate by 60%. For example, onboarding a new candidate used to take 45-50 minutes per crew member, using Ankaa this has been reduced to just 11 minutes.  

Working with IDnow, Ankaa can now offer a holistic, end-to-end digital onboarding solution to its maritime customers, enabling them to meet the various legislative requirements and streamline typically complex processes including job advertising, documentation collation and now identity proofing.  

Ian Livingstone, Founder and Managing Director at Ankaa, comments: “Ankaa has offered significant savings in manual administration and vastly improved data flows between clients, recruitment team and the employer. In recent years, the regulatory focus has widened and all entities across the maritime sector and the related supply chains, including crew providers, have been advised by regulators across the world to significantly improve their due diligence and compliance programmes to avoid breaching global sanctions. 

“The new feature ensures maritime employers can further enhance their substantive employment decision, whilst ensuring fiscal compliance with banks and fiduciary authorities is maintained. The feature incorporates compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter Terrorist Financing (CTF), as well as Anti-Bribery and Corruption legislation of the various jurisdictions in which our clients operate. 

“When searching for a company to partner with, we looked across the market and found that IDnow had a superior interface. The ease of use was a high priority for us to ensure a smooth user experience, and IDnow’s AutoIdent system delivered,” he adds. 

Via Ankaa’s platform, candidates are directed to a portal which streamlines the entire recruitment and onboarding processes; from there, they upload their locational documents, certificates and information about previous assignments needed to successfully apply for a role, which often involves more than 30 pieces of documentation. Using IDnow’s AutoIdent with an AML screening solution, Ankaa can then verify the candidate is who they say they are. These checks are also vital in order to confirm the identity of any beneficiaries of a seafarer’s pay, which can often be a spouse or family member. Via IDnow’s AML and KYC technology, Ankaa is now able to show who is on-board a vessel and where their payment is sent to. 

James Hudson-Dale, Partnerships Manager at IDnow, adds: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Ankaa at such a pivotal time for the maritime industry as it looks to set the benchmark for digital recruitment and onboarding. Previously, recruiters would engage in complex and lengthy processes including scanning, email exchanges and paper documentation; however, Ankaa is disrupting this standard by delivering all aspects via a simple tech platform.”  

The international standard ISO 27001 defines the characteristics of an information security management system (ISMS) implementation. Through this certification, the IDnow group, newly formed with ARIADNEXT, offers the security to its customers that all its processes are in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

ISO 27001 is one of many international standards adopted by groups of experts at the International Organization for Standardization. Certifying the implementation of management systems, ISO 27001 is not an obligation, each company being free to apply for it or not. As a key player in digital identity in France and Europe, ARIADNEXT by IDnow has chosen to certify its headquarters’ ISMS based in Rennes, and therefore all its activities surrounding the production of its solutions: remote ID proofing, digital ID creation, electronic signature, document security.

Security and quality

ARIADNEXT has always placed security in its center, since its founding, with daily good practices in various areas such as:

• Cryptography
• Security incident management
• Communication security
• Management business continuity assurance

Being certified today is therefore a logical step to validate all these procedures and to provide proof on two levels:

• Externally: ISO 27001 certification provides confirmation to ARIADNEXT’s existing and potential customers that the environment in which the solutions are produced is compliant and secure.
• Internally: good practices validated by ISO 27001 enable to better supervise and improve security on a daily basis with precise guidelines.

“As one of the key players in the European digital identity market, security is at the heart of our concerns, particularly with regard to sensitive internal and customer data. Obtaining ISO 27001 certification is therefore a recognition of our historical and ongoing commitment to ever more qualitative and secure practices. And that’s what our customers look for today,” says Guillaume Despagne, President and Co-founder of ARIADNEXT.

A new certification among other recognitions

ISO 27001 is added to certifications, labels and qualifications already obtained by ARIADNEXT, thus reinforcing its status as a trusted service provider. The goal is to continue this certification process for the group’s solutions over the long term.

Among the certifications and qualifications already obtained:

• Electronic Certification Service Provider (ECSP): ARIADNEXT has obtained the status of certification authority, eIDAS certified and LCP (lightweight certificate policy) level. This certification attests to ARIADNEXT’s compliance with quality and security requirements in the production of its electronic certification services, SmartStamp and Check’nSign.
• FIDO accreditation: based on ISO 19795 and ISO 30107 standards, it guarantees the reliability of the facial biometric authentication solution developed by ARIADNEXT.
• “Cybersecurity Made In Europe” label: issued by the European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO), this label allows buyers to clearly identify European cybersecurity companies with confidence and helps defend European sovereignty.

Following the merger with ARIADNEXT, the joint group reports a successful first quarter

Munich, May 31th, 2022, IDnow group, a leading European provider of identity proofing and document signing, reports a rising demand for the joint portfolio in the first quarter of 2022. The company has confirmed an increase in order intake by 95%. 

By offering the broadest portfolio in Europe via a single platform, the IDnow group is at the forefront of current market trends: the acceleration of advanced digital business models has led to a shift in demand, from single-product identity verification towards more comprehensive identity proofing and document signing platforms such as IDnow’s.

Andreas Bodczek, CEO at IDnow, comments: “By combining IDnow, ARIADNEXT and IdentityTM, the IDnow group has emerged as one of the strongest players in Europe as we offer business customers a range of solutions for various use cases and jurisdictions, all from a single source. This is reflected in both our financial performance as well as in our order book. Following a string of M&A transactions over the last 18 months, I am excited to see the company off to a flying start into its first year as a consolidated group and am looking forward to continued joint success.”

The group’s automated identity verification solution has also had a strong first quarter, with an increase in revenue of 134%. Automated identity verification has been a key trend in Europe for some time and it is receiving regulatory approval for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) use cases in an increasing number of European countries. The revenue growth for IDnow’s automated solution is expected to continue, as the group forecasts an 80% increase of order intake.

IDnow group has made a series of senior hires across Europe to support the company’s rapid growth. Mario Fassbender has joined as Vice President Marketing while Stefan Kauhaus has been recruited as Director Product Management Digital Identity. Mike Kiely has also joined IDnow’s UK team as Head of Financial Services. 

For the second half of 2022, IDnow is looking to expand the platform for identity proofing with additional services. The group is anticipating further certifications to be granted in its role as a remote identification service provider. The group’s automated and expert-assisted solution in the French market are ready to receive a ‘prestataire de vérification d’identité à distance’ (PVID) certificate. 

Similarly, the group anticipates entry into the Romanian market with the Authority of Digitization of Romania (ADR) certification. 

IDnow group’s automated solution, coupled with a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), already offers a global solution for remote onboarding for industries under AML regulation. 

Identity platform IDnow expands Digital Identities and Trust Services division

Munich, March 22nd 2022: IDnow, one of the leading European providers in the field of digital identities and identity verification, has appointed Johannes Leser as the new VP Trust Services.

Leser’s primary responsibilities at IDnow will be the expansion of the Trust Services unit as well as the management of a new German trust service.

The company, headquartered in Munich and with five additional European locations, is announcing plans to build a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) as part of the appointment of Johannes Leser. In the area of digital wallets to prove identity, QTSPs play a central role. Within these digital wallets, users and citizens can link their national digital identity (which is also known as their ‘basic identity’) with digital proofs of other personal attributes such as their driver’s license, degree certificates or bank account. The authenticity of these attributes must be confirmed by a specially certified provider of qualified trust services. With the appointment of Johannes Leser and the plans to build a QTSP, IDnow will further expand its service offering around digital identities and wallets.

In his new role, Johannes Leser will bring extensive experience in qualified trust services and digital transaction management to the organisation. Four years ago, he founded Namirial Germany, the German subsidiary of one of the largest providers of trust services on the European market. For more than a decade, he has been involved with the trustworthy integration of electronic signatures into digital processes.

Johannes Leser commented: “I am looking forward to building a provider for qualified trust services with IDnow. Among other challenges, we will solve the issues of how qualified attributes interact with wallets in proving digital identities.”

Armin Bauer, CTO and Managing Director at IDnow, added: “This is an important step in the digital identities space for IDnow. By building our own QTSP, we can not only verify and store digital identities, but also attest additional electronic attributes. Johannes Leser brings the ideal experience to make this initiative a success and I look forward to working with him.”

Identity proofing experts to share expertise via global training programmes

Munich, Dubai and London, March 16, 2022: IDnow, a leading European provider for identity proofing, has announced a partnership with the International Criminal Police Organisation – Interpol.

The 12 month collaboration will see IDnow experts deliver a series of training programmes to local law enforcement and immigration departments, starting in Abu Dhabi later this month.

Lovro Persen, Director Document Management & Fraud at IDnow, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Interpol to share our knowledge and expertise on the subject of fraud prevention.

“Sophisticated fraud is becoming increasingly prolific, with recent statistics from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) revealing that 47 percent of companies had suffered at least one form of fraud in the prior 24 months, at a cost of $42 billion.”*

“Our partnership will help ensure relevant officials and departments have access to IDnow’s team of experts, who will be sharing important knowledge in the global fight against fraud.”

Headed up by Lovro Persen, who has more than 24 years’ experience in identity and fraud management at national and international levels across both the public and private sector, the partnership will provide Interpol with insights into the very latest trends and case studies in the world of fraud prevention.

Based in Munich and with offices around the world, including UAE, France and the UK, IDnow provides businesses with a unified set of methods to meet every identity verification and document signing need, along with identity management services to effectively orchestrate, customize and configure the proofing process.

The company recently announced a consolidation of a comprehensive set of identification verification methods and document signing services into a single platform.

*https://www.asisonline.org/security-management-magazine/articles/2021/05/the-global-fraud-landscape/

Munich, 08 February 2022, IDnow, a leading German provider for identity verification, will in future, enable every user to store their verified ID data locally on their smartphone in addition to their digital proof of vaccination in the luca app. This makes it possible to visit a restaurant, café or bar just by the luca app and without a manual ID check.

“Everyone knows the situation: you enter a restaurant and are asked for proof of vaccination. You pull out your mobile phone and have the QR code quickly at hand. Then the search for the wallet begins, as you must show your ID card. This annoying everyday problem will soon be a thing of the past. We are giving restaurants and other locations digital tools to work more efficiently and cost-effectively and to get back to pre-Corona levels more easily. In addition to the integration of payment services, this includes the uncomplicated ID solution that we are now providing with IDnow,” says Patrick Hennig, Managing Director of culture4life GmbH, operator of the luca app.

The reason for the ID check is the fact that the vaccination certificate, with whose QR code the digital proof of vaccination is generated, can also be scanned by other people. To avoid fraud, most state governments require the person to be matched by an ID document in addition to the vaccination certificate.

In the future, the luca app will digitize and simplify this process together with IDnow. luca users will soon be able to identify themselves once via the IDnow app and their digital identity will be stored locally on the smartphone. Within the luca app, the identity will be linked to the vaccination certificate. Only the identified person can check in at the restaurant using fingerprint or FaceID. This eliminates the need to show the ID card.

Technically, the identity is transmitted back to luca as so-called verifiable credentials from IDnow. The data is saved exclusively on the smartphone and encrypted with the help of the Secure Element. There is no central storage of the data. By storing the data locally, the user retains full control over his or her digital identity. From a data protection point of view, this approach is optimal because neither luca nor IDnow can access the data stored on the smartphone.

“With this use case, luca and IDnow are setting a positive example for the use of digital identities in everyday life. While the use of digital identities is already enjoying great popularity in other European countries, such as Belgium and Sweden, Germany is lagging behind. IDnow wants to change that and is already working with other partners on relevant use cases that use digital identity to simplify everyday situations.” Armin Bauer, Co-Founder and CTO of IDnow.

Munich, January 19th 2022, IDnow, a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, is pleased to welcome Johannes Meerloo to the management team as Chief Operations Officer (COO). In this role, he will be responsible for the group-wide Operations division.

Johannes Meerloo is a co-founder of identity Trust Management AG, which was acquired by IDnow in 2021. He has spent the last eleven years as Managing Director, Board Member and Chief Operating Officer (COO) there, overseeing the company’s entry into international markets following a comprehensive rebranding. Prior to that, he was a member of the management board of ID 8 GmbH, the predecessor of identity Trust Management AG. He thus has more than 15 years of experience in the identity management sector.

IDnow acquired identity.TM as well as the French market leader ARIADNEXT last year. One of Johannes Meerloo’s first tasks will be to merge the operational areas as a result of these M&A activities. In combination, IDnow will be able to offer customers of the combined companies an optimized service from a single source and across a broad product portfolio, setting new standards in the European market.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Johannes Meerloo in his new role. We have known each other for a long time and I greatly appreciate his extensive and long-standing experience in the identity sector. The restructuring and optimization of our operations area will require exactly this experience and I am glad that we could win Johannes for this task,” says Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow.

Combined product portfolio will offer one of the broadest sets of identity verification solutions to the European market

Munich and Rennes, June 30th, 2021, IDnow, a German-based leader in identity verification-as-a-service solutions, today announced that it has agreed to acquire ARIADNEXT, a French company specializing in remote identity verification and digital identity creation.

With IDnow and ARIADNEXT joining forces, the companies can provide one comprehensive identity verification platform, ranging from AI driven to human-assisted technology and from online to point-of-sale verification options. The combination further increases the services IDnow offers to the UK, French and German markets, as well as to international customers with identity verification needs across several jurisdictions and use cases.

On the back of strong adoption of digital identity products, IDnow expects to increase revenue 3x in 2021 versus 2019 and is on track to continue accelerating this growth momentum.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, IDnow has seen an extraordinary increase in demand for their solutions. IDnow’s products have been used 200% more compared to last year and many companies have decided to switch to fully digital application processes. The integration of ARIADNEXT, whose service usage has increased more than 130% per year over the last 5 years, will help to meet this rising demand by providing an outstanding, frictionless user experience.

“This combination with ARIADNEXT is an important step towards our vision of building the pan-European leader for identity verification-as-a-service solutions,” said Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow. “Identity verification saw a major turn towards digitalization over the past decade and this trend has been further accelerated by the pandemic. It is now critical for banks, insurers, mobility companies and others to shift towards safe, automated solutions. With ARIADNEXT, in addition to our recent acquisition of identity Trust Management AG, IDnow can provide our customers with an even broader suite of products through a single platform with a seamless user experience.”

“We are looking forward to joining a team of IDnow’s caliber, combining our experience and skills to work towards our shared vison of providing a pan-European secure and future-proof solution to customers,” said Guillaume Despagne, President of ARIADNEXT. “With a strong presence in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland and Romania, our combined product portfolios create an unmatched platform for customers across the European market.”

IDnow will retain ARIADNEXT’s locations in Rennes, Paris, Madrid, Bucharest, Iasi and Warsaw, as well as its over 125 employees. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals.

As one of the first providers, the IDnow platform will enable a 24-hour service for identity verification

Munich, June 23rd 2021, IDnow, a leading platform-as-a-service provider for identity verification, announces the launch of AML-compliant video identifications around the clock. Users can now perform non-automated identity verification procedures at any time thanks to the overnight operation.

“With the extended service hours with 24-hour availability, we give our users even more freedom and enable our business customers with tailored support even better accessibility, higher customer satisfaction and of course the possibility to identify more customers per day” says Bettina Pauck, COO of IDnow. “No matter what industry you are in or what your use case is – opening a bank account, foreign exchange trading or player verification, we are here for you.”

The new service offering, which is available in English and German, completes IDnow’s strategy of focusing on the user needs and providing an easy and quick identification – whenever and wherever a customer wants. “For a convenient process that fits into the fast-paced, digital-centric everyday life of users, such a factor is essential,” adds Bettina Pauck.

Furthermore, IDnow offers a highly secure and reliable structure – with a diversification to a total of 20 geographically distributed ident center locations. The sites are located in various cities across Germany and Europe and also guarantee a high level of data protection. The highly qualified and multilingual fraud and identification specialists, who can also offer the service in French, Italian and Spanish, are trained on the comprehensive BaFin process, know the data protection regulations as well as the common forgery and fraud possibilities.

IDnow has expanded its role in recent years far beyond offering individual ident procedures and has become the overarching platform for digital identities with several million transactions per year. In early 2021, IDnow announced the acquisition of identity Trust Management AG, one of the leading international providers of online and offline verification. This was the second acquisition within six months for IDnow and represents an important milestone on the way to becoming the leading identity platform in Europe. The acquisition of identity Trust Management AG enables IDnow to expand into new industries and offer its services to a broader customer base in Germany and beyond.

Audi trusts in IDnow platform for new mobility concept „Audi on demand Subscribe“

Munich, June 1st 2021, IDnow, a leading platform-as-a-service provider for identity verification, supports the international automotive company AUDI AG with a digital solution for identity verification for the new subscription offer “Audi on demand Subscribe”.

In mid-May, the fully integrated subscription model “Audi on demand Subscribe” was launched in the first dealerships of the brand with the four rings in Germany. Customers can use it to digitally rent an Audi for a period of four to twelve months. For Audi, the focus is on flexibility and convenience for the user. In order to offer customers a fast and smooth process that fits in with the digital strategy, Audi relies on IDnow’s AutoIdent. In this process, the customer’s ID and driving license data are automatically read in a user-friendly process and checked for authenticity with the help of AI and machine learning technologies.

“For us, the focus is on the customers and their customer journey. When designing the subscription model, it was particularly important to us to integrate a fast and completely digital process for identity verification – this is what our target group expects. We are pleased to be working with IDnow and to be able to offer our customers this smooth process,” says Martin Wallenborn, Head of Business Development Sales Germany at AUDI AG. With “Audi on demand Subscribe”, the automobile group is supplementing its previous “Audi on demand Rent” offer, which enables short-term rentals of up to 28 days.

“With its subscription offer, Audi has created a service that needs a convenient and fast application route. Our team has come up with a great solution that fits exactly the requirements of the Audi brand and its customers,” says Oliver Obitayo, Chief Sales Officer at IDnow.

IDnow has expanded its capabilities in recent years far beyond offering individual ident procedures and has become the overarching platform for digital identities with several million transactions per year. In early 2021, IDnow announced the acquisition of identity Trust Management AG, one of the leading international providers of online and offline verification. This was the second acquisition within six months for IDnow and represents an important milestone on the way to becoming the leading identity platform in Europe.

Press contact IDnow:
Christina Schwinning
press@idnow.de
+49 89 41324 6054

Presse contact Audi:
Thomas von Frankenberg
thomas1.tacke@audi.de
+49-841-89-42693

Platform provider enriches IDnow AutoIdent with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to create even better user experience

Munich, May 20th 2021, IDnow, a German based leader in platform-as-a-service identity verification, today announced the implementation of NFC reading capability into IDnow AutoIdent. This will offer users an even smoother and quicker verification process.

The new solution will support all identification documents globally that follow the ICAO 9303 standard like ePassports and NFC supported ID cards. All the user needs are an ID card with a RFID chip (radio-frequency identification) as well as an NFC-enabled smartphone. The IDnow App recognizes the availability of an RFID chip, reads the personal data and biometric information (photo) that is contained on the chip with integrated privacy protection and compares the biometric information retrieved from the chip to a video selfie and a liveness check.

IDnow has seen that users increasingly value quick and easy identification and appreciate the freedom of choice when selecting their identification method. Different user groups prefer different methods, and businesses  can see large increases in their conversion rates if they offer users a choice. Therefore, IDnow offers a comprehensive platform, that includes identification methods from offline to online, from automated methods to procedures carried out by identity specialists, available flexibly online, offline in branches and even by a courier at the user’s doorstep.

“The NFC capability for our AutoIdent product is a significant step in order to further augment our platform and create a smooth user journey for everyone. Our customers value this freedom of choice for their user and see high conversion rates with seamless, easy processes”, says Vikas Seth, CPO at IDnow. “Through the application of NFC-based RFID chip read out in the IDnow AutoIdent product, you don’t need to compromise, but get the best of both worlds – a high level of security and a convenient onboarding process at high speed”, he adds.

The principle of reading out an ePassport via NFC is successfully used by airports with ePassport gates, places with an extremely high security requirements. By adding this feature to IDnow AutoIdent, IDnow is empowering banks, insurance providers and other businesses to get the same level of protection from fraudsters and identity thieves through a method, that is already well established and understood by their end users, completely automated and built to improve conversion rates.

For high security use cases IDnow is also offering a variant that can check the authenticity of the RFID chip and validate it on a secure server with digital certificates to ensure that the RFID chip itself is not compromised by fraudsters.

IDnow has expanded its role in recent years far beyond simply offering individual ident methods and has become the overarching platform for digital identities with several million transactions per year.

In early 2021, IDnow announced the acquisition of identity Trust Management AG, one of the leading international providers for on- and offline verification. This was the second acquisition within six months for IDnow and represents an important milestone on the way to becoming the leading identity platform in Europe. The acquisition of identity Trust Management AG enables IDnow to expand into new industries and offer its services to a broader customer base in Germany and beyond.

Munich, Luxembourg, December 8th, 2020 – IDnow a leading provider for Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, receives €15 million growth funding from European Investment Bank. Funds will support IDnow’s research and development and international expansion. Financing by EU bank is provided under Investment Plan for Europe.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide €15 million of growth funding to the German identity verification platform IDnow. IDnow is an expert in secure, remote auto and video identification and electronic signature services. This enables companies to acquire customers and manage transactions faster and easier, while complying with know your customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. The investment will primarily support IDnow’s research and development (R&D) activities as well as its international growth.

This operation is part of the European Growth Finance Facility (EGFF), a product under the guarantee scheme of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). The EGFF is designed to address quasi-equity gaps linked to structural market failures across the European Union in the provision of adequate risk capital to late-stage, venture-backed companies. Such European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps often suffer from systemic shortages of large, non-dilutive financing options for growth investments, both tangible and intangible. The benefit of EFSI in this specific case is the clear enhancement of the risk capacity of the Bank.

EFSI is the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe under which the EIB and the European Commission are working together as strategic partners and the EIB’s financing operations are boosting the competitiveness of the European economy. It is accompanied by the advisory service, the European Investment Advisory Hub, which enables public and private project operators to structure their investment projects more professionally.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, who is responsible for EFSI and the bank´s operations in Germany, said: “IDnow, a first-time borrower for the Bank, depends on significant R&D and marketing investments related to commercialisation. The transaction is an excellent example of how the EU bank, with the support of the Investment Plan for Europe, can facilitate the development of innovaton, in particular in sensitive policy areas such as anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing and cybersecurity, which are of utmost importance for the European Union and its economy.”

European Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said: “As ever more of our interactions move online, it’s more important than ever that we strengthen data security and fraud prevention. And it’s right that the Investment Plan for Europe contributes to those efforts. This support for German platform IDnow will enable it to expand its services for digital identity verification of customers and business partners alike. We are investing in a safer online business environment, an objective of our digital finance strategy.”

CFO of IDnow Joe Lichtenberger said: “IDnow has experienced overwhelming demand for its verification-as-a-service across multiple industries and countries, with COVID-19 significantly increasing the need for digital services. The flexible financing structure from the EIB will allow us to accelerate our investment in developing the platform to capitalise on these opportunities. The EIB is an ideal partner to support us in becoming Europe’s leading provider in identity verification.”

Munich / Leipzig – September 1st, 2020, IDnow, a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions and Wirecard Communication Services GmbH announce the signing of an agreement for the acquisition of Wirecard Communication Services by IDnow. IDnow will retain the Leipzig location preserving the majority of the 150 employees.

With Wirecard Communication Services, IDnow will focus on providing identity services and continue to build additional capacity for the strong growth of IDnow identification processes. In light of organic growth in digital services as well as the added needs related to restrictons imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, IDnow is experiencing a sharp increase in demand for its digital verification procedures. The acquisition is intended to enhance the service quality of IDnow products and thus further increase the responsiveness for customers and cut waiting times.

Wirecard Communication Services GmbH was established on April 29, 2003, and is part of the Wirecard Group. In a structured investor process, Wirecard Communication Services GmbH was offered for sale by way of an asset deal. IDnow and Wirecard Communication Services have already been working together successfully for more than five years.

At a staff meeting on Monday afternoon, the insolvency administrator, attorney Dr. Nils Freudenberg from Tiefenbacher Insolvency Administration, announced the takeover to the staff of Wirecard Communications Services. The first step will be to provide the employees with appropriate qualifications and to adapt the technical infrastructure. Following this realignment, the Leipzig location will be expanded in a targeted way and integrated into the IDnow processes in order to enable even faster implementation of projects as well as further technical development of the Ident services.

“With the integration of Wirecard Communication Services into the IDnow Group, we are seizing the opportunity to further improve our range and service quality for our customers. We have worked in close collaboration with this division of the company for several years and greatly appreciate the qualifications and experience of its employees. We are on a strong growth path and will maintain and further develop the Leipzig location,” says Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow.

“We are delighted to have found in IDnow a buyer who appreciates and knows our company and has such a friendly culture. Personally, I am very pleased to stay on board and work in the team at IDnow,” says Amra Blume, Managing Director Wirecard Communications Services.

Press contact:

Christina Schwinning

press@idnow.io

Munich, May 13th, 2020 – IDnow joins an international working group of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for the development of European standards for identity verification. As a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, IDnow will provide the Task Force with important insights into the European market.

IDnow was selected by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to participate in a new working group on Electronic Signatures and Infrastructures (ESI). As a member of the Special Task Force 588, IDnow is part of an exclusive group of specialists who started work in April 2020 to fill existing gaps in identity verification standards. The objective of the Task Force is to develop new standards and guidelines for electronic signatures and related trust services.

IDnow is pleased to be one of the appointed experts to share its expertise as a leading company in the field of identity verification. The work of the Task Force will contribute to the preparation and publication of the ETSI technical standard 119 461 on ESI by July 2021. These guidelines and security requirements for trust services issuing qualified certificates will find wide application in the market. In particular, these standards can serve as a guide for Know Your Customer (KYC) criteria and for the issuance of electronic identity schemes (eIDs). The work with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute strengthens IDnow’s efforts for greater regulatory and technical harmonisation in digital identity services.

“We are pleased to support the working group and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute with our knowledge”, says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow. “IDnow has been working with customers from different European countries since 2014 and we know the market and its development very well,” she adds.

Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow and Armin Bauer, CTO and Co-Founder of IDnow have joined the task force as representatives for their company. The expert team is led by Sylvie Lacroix (Sealed). In addition to the two IDnow members, Paloma Llenaza (Certicar), Stephane Mouy (SGM Consulting Services) and Jon Ølnes (Signicat) have been appointed.

Munich, March 30, 2020 – IDnow, a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions with more than 250 customers in Europe, supports the initiative “Wir gegen Corona” with free identity verification.

“Wir gegen Corona” is a Germany-wide initiative that helps people from risk groups to cope with their daily lives in domestic isolation. Voluntary helpers are placed on the Internet platform wirgegencorona.de and via a hotline to take over grocery shopping and other errands. To protect them from possible fraudsters, the identity of the volunteers is currently being checked manually. This can now be automated with the help of IDnow.

In order to enable the organisation to grow fast and to professionally verify ID cards, IDnow will support this process pro bono with its AutoIdent solution based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). AutoIdent is a simple, intuitive product that checks the security features of the badge and matches the ID card image with the corresponding person.

“We are very pleased and proud to support the project Wir gegen Corona. Our product makes a valuable contribution to a great initiative that helps people in need in this difficult situation”, says Andreas Bodczek, CEO of IDnow.

“To ensure that we are able to place trustworthy people, we rely on a clean identity check. Thanks to IDnow, we now have the opportunity to verify the many helpful volunteers quickly, safely and easily. This allows us to effectively prevent fraud while continuing to grow rapidly. We are very happy about the support from IDnow”, says Thorsten Kud, initiator of the platform.