The secure identity industry continues to witness significant consolidation as key industry players announce acquisitions to strengthen their portfolios and expand their offerings.
IN Groupe has finalised its acquisition of Nets’ eID business. The deal, initially signed in November 2023, represents a strategic move for IN Groupe as it seeks to bolster its expertise in electronic identity solutions.
The relationships between IN Groupe, MitID and Nets, part of the Nexi Group, need a bit of unravelling.
MitID, Denmark’s national digital identity service, plays a crucial role in facilitating secure digital interactions for Danish citizens and businesses.
While its ownership remains with the MitID partnership – comprising the Danish Agency for Digital Government on behalf of the state and Finance Denmark on behalf of Danish banks – the responsibility for its operation and development had been entrusted to external partners.
Previously, the operational role for MitID was managed by Nets, a subsidiary of Nexi Group. Nexi, a European leader in digital payment and eID solutions, ensured the stable and secure functioning of MitID.
However, as part of its strategic repositioning, Nexi decided to divest its eID business, opening the door for IN Groupe to take on this role.
IN Groupe has now acquired Nexi’s eID business. This acquisition includes the operational responsibilities for MitID and the trust and broker services previously provided by Nets. Through this transition, a Transitional Services and Separation Agreement was established between IN Groupe and Nets, allowing for the smooth integration of Nexi’s eID business into IN Groupe’s operations.
As part of the transition, IN Groupe is establishing a stronger foothold in Denmark and the region. New offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus will serve as the headquarters for IN Groupe Denmark, while another office will open in Oslo, Norway. The transition also brings 300 skilled employees from Nets into IN Groupe’s workforce, ensuring continuity and leveraging their expertise in eID solutions.
The closing of this deal follows the news (see IDN September) that IN Groupe has entered into exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of IDEMIA Smart Identity.
HID, a subsidiary of the ASSA ABLOY Group since 2000, has announced its acquisition of IXLA, an Italian company specialising in laser and colour personalisation systems for secure documents, including cards and passports. This strategic move significantly broadens HID’s portfolio in secure credential issuance and reinforces its position in the European market and emerging economies.
By integrating IXLA’s technologies, HID expands its capability to deliver solutions for high-security government cards, police and military IDs, passports, and financial cards. This acquisition complements HID’s earlier purchase of IAI Industrial Systems BV in 2015, further consolidating its position in the global market for secure personalisation systems.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Romano Canavese, Italy, IXLA is recognised for its advanced design and engineering of personalisation systems that integrate laser and inkjet technologies. The company specialises in three primary areas:
With HID’s global sales and support infrastructure, IXLA will gain expanded market access while building on HID’s expertise in secure issuance technologies.
It will be interesting to monitor how the differing acquisition strategies of IN Groupe and HID develop. At the moment it seems that IN Groupe is focused on establishing strong footholds in the digital identity sector whereas HID emphasises diversification in physical credential issuance technologies, aiming to serve a wider global audience.
