Nigeria
Identity verification and e-KYC technology company, VerifyMe Nigeria, has unveiled QoreID, a dedicated digital identity, and analytics solution for business-to-business (B2B).
QoreID will provide application programme interface (API) infrastructure and data services that connect businesses to people and their information across Africa and remain a VerifyMe Nigeria company.
Targeted at the medium and enterprise business segment, QoreID provides a suite of secure verification and authentication solutions that connect businesses to trusted identities and critical consumer analytics such as alternative credit scoring for the unbanked and much more.
United Arab Emirates
Consumers and businesses in Dubai will soon be able to make contactless payments for select government and private sector services, due to a strategic partnership between Mastercard and fintech company noqodi.
Noqodi’s digital omnichannel payments, including Tap on Phone, will be powered by Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MPGS). Customers can tap their card or device to make payments through a merchant’s phone.
In 2020, the Government of Dubai formed a Cashless Dubai Working Group to create an action plan to shift all payment transactions in the Emirate to cashless platforms.
United Kingdom
Marston Holdings has become the first company certified by business improvement firm BSI to comply with the UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) standards.
BSI is part of the government’s pilot certification scheme to allow identity service providers to become accredited to certify against the framework. It is one of only five certification bodies under UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) offering the certification.
Global
The global decentralised identity market size is expected to reach $102 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 88.2 percent from 2022 to 2030, according to a new study conducted by Grand View Research.
The ineffectiveness of conventional identity management practices and rising incidences of security breaches have fuelled demand for decentralised identity platforms. The increasing adoption of such platforms by businesses and individuals is further expected to drive the market over the forecast period.
United States
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has renewed its commitment to digital ID, with a $200 million investment earmarked for digital public infrastructure. This will include digital ID and civil registry databases.
It is part of a total package of $1.27 billion in support for global health and development projects.
The $200 million will also support interoperable payment systems and data-sharing systems, according to the announcement.
The Gates Foundation is a major backer of the MOSIP open-source digital identity platform, among various programs related to digital ID.
Europe
The Czech Presidency of the EU Council has circulated a fourth compromise text on the European Digital Identity (eIDs), which focuses on questions surrounding the working methods of the EU digital identity wallet.
“Aspects such as costs, but also offline use and the interplay with further regulations urgently need to be clarified,” Rebekka Weiß, head of trust and security at the German digital association Bitkom, told EURACTIV.
United States
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has passed a proposal meant to enable the federal government to take a more active role in digital identity. It aims to help Americans “prove who they are online,” by providing opt-in ID validation services that “augment private sector digital identity and authentication solutions.”
The next stop for the legislation is the Senate floor.
Romania
Romanian digital identity startup Qoobiss has launched QOOBISS AML, a solution designed to help companies in the financial sector automate the verification and monitoring of individuals and corporate entities, in order to determine their compliance risk.
South Africa
South African digital identity startup iiDENTIFii has raised $15 million growth capital. This is, to date, the largest African series A in the identity verification space.
iiDENTIFii’s face authentication technology securely authenticates users via their mobile phones or PCs within seconds. It operates across several industry verticals and is used by the largest pan-African banks, insurers and mining houses for both customer and employee authentication.
iiDENTIFii says it will use this investment to fund its expansion across Africa.
United States
Four members of Congress have introduced the Facial Recognition Act, which would require police to obtain a warrant and have probable cause to investigate a suspect before conducting face biometric searches.
“Protecting the privacy of Americans – especially against a flawed, unregulated, and at times discriminatory technology – is my chief goal with this legislation,” said Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), who joined Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) in bringing forth the Facial Recognition Act.
According to a supporting statement from the Electronic Privacy Information Centre (EPIC), the legislation would also prohibit the use of face biometrics in the enforcement of immigration laws, on police body cameras, during protests, and on live video feeds. Furthermore, it would introduce transparency and reliability requirements, to be monitored via public audits, accuracy reviews and other measures. And, adds TechCrunch, it would make it mandatory for law enforcement agencies to purge photo databases of children who never faced charges, or were acquitted.
