Humanity Protocol’s reusable biometric ID adds Mastercard open finance capability

Humanity Protocol, the proof-of-personhood (PoP) framework based on palm biometrics, is teaming up with Mastercard to allow users to quickly verify personal data, such as income, assets and financial credentials, and access financial services without the hassle of paperwork.

A user who wants a faster credit approval, for instance, can provide lenders with cryptographic proof of eligibility, reducing processing time and fraud risk. The integration will first be available in the U.S. with plans for expansions into other markets, the decentralized identity company says in an announcement.

Connecting Mastercard’s open finance with Humanity Protocol’s identity verification platform Human ID allows users to verify their bank account ownership and identity attributes used to link the financial account. Thanks to selective disclosure and zero-knowledge cryptography, financial attributes can be proved without revealing “raw data,” according to the firm.

The integration also means that users can re-use their Human ID for KYC processes on different platforms, including financial services platforms.

“We believe that identity is foundational to the future of finance,” says Terence Kwok, Humanity Protocol founder. “Together with Mastercard, we’re enabling our Human ID holders to demonstrate they meet financial requirements, without spending valuable time on manual processes.”

Humanity Protocol emerged as a “new kid on the block” in the proof-of-personhood (PoH) space last year, rivaling companies such as World. At the beginning of 2025, the San-Francisco-headquartered firm raised US$20 million in  funding at a $1.1 billion “fully diluted valuation.”

The company’s founder, Terence Kwok, says that he doesn’t necessarily view other Proof-of-Personhood projects as competitors, as different systems can exist for different use cases. The PoP concept ensures that users are real human beings through identity verification that doesn’t rely on a central authority. Humanity Protocol has been focusing on creating a connected system for building “cross-platform reputation.”

During the launch of its mainnet in August, Humanity Protocol presented the zero-knowledge Transport Layer Security (zkTLS) system, which enables a vouching mechanism whereby users can verify a fact without having to point directly to the source document. It also connects familiar digital credentials to decentralized services known as Web3.

Earlier this year, the company acquired Moongate, a decentralized platform focusing on ticketing, credentialing and access control for global events.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  financial services  |  Humanity Protocol  |  identity verification  |  Mastercard  |  palm biometrics  |  proof of personhood  |  reusable digital ID  |  zero knowledge