Nov 16, 2022

Nov 16, 2022, 4:33 pm EST   Selfie biometrics are expanding in several 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 started testing selfie biometrics to simplify seller verification. The retailer plans to utilize forgery detection, facial recognition, and liveness detection to assess the authenticity of government-issued identity documents and if they match the individual applying to sell or not. The process is currently voluntary and is being tested with prospective sellers in the Amazon U.S. store. It is reportedly compliant with both BIPA and CCPA regulations. Uqudo addresses Africa’s digital ID demand 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 the past few months, both in Europe and Africa. Uqudo is currently focussed primarily on serving fintechs in the region. According to the executive, uqudo is currently tackling challenges connected with complying with various identity requirements in different countries. The company has also recently joined the Smart Africa Alliance as a start-up member. Veriff, Sumsub and IDScan.net each partner for fintech, gambling markets The collaboration with the financial services software development company will see Veriff integrate its identity verification (IDV) solutions within the TrueNorth platform. “TrueNorth is transforming digital experiences in the financial services world, and with Veriff as a partner, their clients can now easily incorporate identity verification into their evolving online solutions,” comments Veriff’s head of global partnerships and alliances, Manuel Solis III. “The partnership not only makes KYC compliance incredibly tangible but also powers a seamless customer experience for incomparable 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 partnered with online betting service provider Markor Technology. Following the start of the collaboration, the companies will be able to provide companies with enhanced verification and fraud protection while ensuring compliance. “Finding a trustful iGaming partner like Markor Technology is an honor for us because we share the same goal of creating a responsible iGaming environment, enabling players to enjoy online gaming and gambling services freely and safely,” says Sumsub CEO Andrew Sever. “We’re making this a reality by offering end-to-end KYC, KYT, and AML solutions to effectively onboard honest users and keep fraudsters out.” Sumsub has recently introduced a new feature to enable companies to create user identity verification workflows tailored to particular triggers and risk scenarios. IDScan.net likewise 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 throughout each stage of their lives.” The Jack Henry collaboration comes months after IDScan.net signed an agreement 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 utilize Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) to carry out digital identity checks on behalf of British and Irish citizens with valid passports. More recently, NorthRow published an analysis highlighting its role within the global payment ecosystem. “NorthRow’s cross-border digital solution will automate processes that have previously been an onerous and complex set of onboarding tasks and workflows,” writes NorthRow content creator Clare Puplett. “By using automated processes, NorthRow’s platform delivers accurate and compliant results, efficiently and with reduced abandonment rates, which enhances conversion and builds loyalty.”