Smart-ID, a widely used digital identity and electronic signature service in the Baltic states, has added NFC support for account registration and renewal using Estonian ID cards, allowing users to complete the process with an NFC-enabled smartphone instead of a computer and card reader.
The update, developed by SK ID Solutions, eliminates the need for a separate hardware card reader and desktop computer that were previously required to register or renew a Smart-ID account using an Estonian ID card. Users can now hold their Estonian ID card against an NFC-enabled smartphone to complete the identity verification and account provisioning process.
SK ID Solutions says the NFC-based registration method enhances fraud prevention by leveraging the cryptographic chip embedded in the Estonian ID card. The chip-based verification provides a higher level of identity assurance compared to alternative enrollment methods.
Smart-ID serves as a primary digital identity and signing tool in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, with millions of active users across the three countries. The service enables users to authenticate to online services and sign documents electronically with legal equivalence to handwritten signatures under EU eIDAS regulations.
The NFC registration option is currently available for Estonian ID cards and may be extended to other supported identity documents in the future. Users need a smartphone running a current version of the Smart-ID app with NFC hardware support.
Estonia has long been a leader in digital identity infrastructure – recently launching the Eesti.ee app to consolidate government services on smartphones – with its national ID card serving as the backbone of the country’s e-governance ecosystem. The addition of NFC-based Smart-ID registration simplifies onboarding while maintaining the security assurance provided by the physical credential’s cryptographic capabilities.
Sources: Smart-ID, SK ID Solutions
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
