Welcome to ID Tech’s digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:
India to Enable Aadhaar-Linked Biometric UPI Payments on October 8
India’s National Payments Corporation will begin rolling out biometric authentication for its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) network starting this week. The new system will allow users to authorize transactions using fingerprint or facial recognition linked to the national Aadhaar ID database, replacing the traditional PIN entry method under new guidelines from the Reserve Bank of India.
Czech Digital ID App Crashes During National Election
The Czech Republic’s national digital ID app, eDoklady, experienced a widespread failure during the country’s parliamentary election after underestimating user demand. The crash prevented citizens from using the app for voter verification, forcing a return to physical ID cards and prompting the head of the overseeing Digital and Information Agency to offer his resignation.
Aurora City Council Advances Police Use of Facial Recognition
The City Council in Aurora, Colorado, has given preliminary approval for the police department to use facial recognition technology for investigative leads. The policy would allow the use of a statewide mugshot database and the controversial Clearview AI platform, following a state law that requires local government approval and public accountability for such systems.
ULTRALOQ Launches Bolt Fingerprint Smart Lock with Matter Integration
Smart home security company ULTRALOQ has released its new Bolt Fingerprint smart deadbolt, which combines biometric access with native support for the Matter interoperability standard. The move aims to solve cross-platform compatibility issues, allowing the lock to work seamlessly with all major smart home ecosystems, including Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa.
1Kosmos Launches Passwordless MFA Platform on Microsoft Azure Marketplace
Identity and authentication firm 1Kosmos has made its BlockID Workforce platform available on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. The listing allows enterprise customers to more easily procure and deploy the company’s passwordless MFA and remote identity verification solutions directly within their existing Azure environments.
SmartSearch Acquires Credas to Bolster UK Digital Compliance Offering
UK-based RegTech firm SmartSearch has acquired Credas Technologies, a specialist in identity verification for the legal and property sectors, for a reported £77.8 million. The acquisition is intended to create a comprehensive digital compliance platform for the UK market by combining SmartSearch’s AML screening with Credas’s specialized KYC and identity-proofing technology.
OCR Studio Launches Browser-Based Scanner for Arabic ID Documents
OCR Studio has unveiled what it calls the world’s first browser-based scanner for Arabic-script identity documents. The technology uses WebAssembly (WASM) to perform all scanning, OCR, and verification tasks on the user’s device without sending data to a server, aiming to reduce user friction and enhance data privacy in digital onboarding processes.
By the ID Tech Editorial Team