Onfido adds ETSI identity proofing certification to support customer expansion

UK-based biometric identity verification provider Onfido says it has achieved the latest European standard for identity proofing and trust services, and says it is the first global provider approved by both the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).

ETSI is a not-for-profit standardization organization that works closely with the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on setting technical standards. Onfido received the ETSI TS 119 461 certification. Using the organization’s language, the new certification allows it to act as an Identity Proofing Service Provider (IPSP) for Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSP) to support know your customer (KYC) processes for anti-money laundering (AML) regulated businesses.

The ETSI certification has also set a foundation for the company to issue trust services, such as qualified electronic signatures (QES), according to Onfido’s general counsel Francesca Porter.

“Regulation is essential for ensuring secure access to online services, preventing fraudulent activity and encouraging innovation,” says Porter. “We will continue to support organizations in meeting their compliance needs with resources dedicated to tracking regulation as it evolves and factoring it into our product roadmap.”

Onfido has had a busy spring, acquiring Airside Mobile, which sells user-controlled digital identity services for the airline industry, and integrating closer with customer relationship management platform Salesforce. It also struck a deal with UK’s Co-operative Bank for new customer onboarding while Belgium’s largest cable broadband service provider, Telenet, was granted approval to use Onfido for remote identity verification.

In April, it settled a BIPA lawsuit alleging that the company had illegally used personal data for $28.5 million.

Article Topics

AML  |  biometrics  |  certification  |  digital identity  |  ETSI  |  KYC  |  Onfido  |  standards