A Korean technology startup has developed what is believed to be the world’s first smartphone-based solution capable of simultaneously capturing facial and fingerprint biometrics using the built-in front and rear cameras of a mobile device. The innovation, created by WINNING.I, enables fully contactless multimodal biometric authentication through a single application, removing the need for additional hardware or multi-step user procedures.

A recent online article from Maryia Valchanina, Head of Data Processing at Regula, sheds light on one of the lesser-discussed challenges in the field of document authentication: the verification of professional identity documents.

The future of ID cards, passports and driving licences is mobile. But the path to full digitisation still involves overcoming many challenges. At the heart of these challenges is the need to build trust with citizens.

It won’t come as a surprise to readers of ID & Secure Document News™ that the global digital identity market is entering a phase of accelerated growth, with spending projected to increase from $15.2 billion in 2024 to over $26 billion by 2029, according to Juniper Research.

Following the ID4Africa 2024 AGM in Cape Town, Nicola Sudan from Reconnaissance interviewed Dr Joseph Atick, co-founder and Executive Chair of ID4Africa. The interview, for ID & Secure Document News™, covered a range of topics, including Dr Atick’s pioneering work in biometrics, the origins and growth of ID4Africa, the challenges and progress of digital identity systems across Africa, and the need for depoliticising identity programmes (see IDN November 2024).

The recent power blackout across the Iberian Peninsula gave a stark reminder that electricity powers our lives — and particularly our digital lives. Behind the headlines about the increased frequency of energy infrastructure failures lies a critical question for the industry: what happens to our digital identity systems when the power goes out?

Set in the historic and vibrant city of Warsaw, Poland (15-17 September), the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) 2025 conference continues its mission of showcasing the most advanced research, innovation, and debate in the field of document protection.

In April 2025, the Republic of Suriname officially introduced its new ePassport, designed to meet international security and durability standards for travel documents. The project was delivered in partnership with OSD International, a global provider of secure identity solutions.

In an article recently published in Securing Industry, Dr Mark Deakes, chair of the new International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA), sets out how optical technologies are spearheading efforts to protect identity documents.

Holographic features have long played a vital role in optical document security—grabbing attention, signaling authenticity, and giving visual verification. But as design trends shift and digital solutions take a larger role, it’s time to reassess their impact.

After nearly two decades of delays, the US is set to enforce the REAL ID Act on 7 May 2025. This legislation, passed in 2005 in response to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, aims to standardise the issuance of state identification documents to enhance national security. However, its implementation has been fraught with challenges, including logistical hurdles, political resistance, and privacy concerns.

A significant shift is underway for Europe’s motorists, as the European Union advances plans to introduce digital driving licences. These mobile licences, accessible via smartphones, will complement traditional physical licences, offering a more flexible and interoperable identity solution across Europe.

The programme has been published for the High Security Printing™ (HSP) Latin America conference, which returns 9-11 June to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – the location for the inaugural event back in 2012.

The spotlight is on innovation for optical security features in ID and secure document protection, as entries open for the inaugural ‘Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards’.

On 15 April, Peru’s National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) officially introduced the DNI 3.0 electronic national identity card.

In today’s digital world, where secure authentication is a growing priority, the digitisation of documents appears to be an attractive solution to meet administrative and personal identification needs. However, this transition significantly impacts the handling of birth certificates and early- age identity management, exposing them to evolving risks, especially as scammers continue to develop more sophisticated tactics.

Biometric authentication traditionally relies on single identifiers like fingerprints or facial scans. However, these can be spoofed or altered by ageing, injury, or illness.

Estonia has ceased to recognise Russian non- biometric foreign passports, a move that directly impacts the eligibility of Russian citizens seeking entry or visas. As announced by Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 31 March 2025, holders of non- biometric Russian passports are no longer permitted to enter Estonia nor apply for an Estonian Schengen visa.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provides globally recognised specifications for machine-readable travel documents (MRTDs), including national identity cards. As digital identity becomes central to secure border control and civil verification systems, the layout and design of ID cards – particularly their orientation – have gained attention.

During the lockdowns that typified the COVID pandemic, there was a roughly two-year period during which it was only under very special circumstances that a person could leave their house to visit a government office, a bank or cross a border. This accelerated the requirement for validating someone’s identity remotely. Of course, this ‘person-not-present’ form of ID authentication was prevalent and growing before 2020, but the pandemic accelerated its acceptance.

A recent online article from Maryia Valchanina, Head of Data Processing at Regula, sheds light on one of the lesser-discussed challenges in the field of document authentication—the verification of professional identity documents. Unlike conventional passports or national ID cards, which benefit from widespread standardisation and well-established verification protocols, these specialised documents often exist in a fragmented regulatory landscape.

The European Commission has opened a public consultation on 12 new Implementing Acts that will define the technical and legal framework for the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet, as established under Regulation (EU) 2024/1183. Running from 15 April to 13 May 2025, the consultation focuses on trust services, interoperability, and security standards essential for the deployment of the EUDI Wallet across Member States.

Veridos GmbH, a joint venture of the Security Tech Group Giesecke+Devrient and the Bundesdruckerei Group, has announced a change in the management board.

From 11 April 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin enforcing a regulation that requires all non-US citizens aged 18 and over to carry physical documentation confirming that they have registered their identity with DHS. This policy, detailed in the Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register, is a renewed application of provisions within the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and is aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement through biometric and document-based identity verification.

The PQC4eMRTD (Post-Quantum Cryptography for electronic Machine- Readable Travel Documents) project is a European initiative launched on 28 February, aimed at enhancing the security of electronic machine-readable travel documents (eMRTDs), such as electronic passports, against emerging threats posed by advances in quantum computing.

In just five years, TOPPAN Security has emerged as a real force in the global identity solutions market. Backed by TOPPAN, one of the world’s largest technology companies, TOPPAN Security has made strategic acquisitions and tactical moves, notably expanding its footprint in Africa. With the recent launch of the new Ethiopian ePassport, the ongoing construction of a state-of- the-art facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the recent acquisition of Citizen Identity Solutions from HID, the company is clearly on an upward trajectory.

In March, government authorities and agencies, along with security printing companies and technology providers, gathered in Milan, Italy for Intergraf Currency+Identity 2025. By providing an open platform for an exchange of ideas amongst innovators and users of ID and secure documents, the conference provided insights into emerging trends and challenges in the passport, ID card, and digital identity domains.

If you started reading this in anticipation of a definitive answer on how digital and physical ID documents can co-exist, I should apologise. It’s actually a personal look at how I might go about reasserting my identity in the event of a major crisis. But like many thought-experiments, you can learn a lot when you stress-test your ideas in extreme circumstances.

On 17 February 2025, Cameroon launched a new generation biometric ID card system. The rollout, managed by German tech firm Augentic under a 15-year contract with Cameroon’s General Delegation for National Security (DGSN) began with online pre-enrolment, followed by physical enrolment in regional capitals. The new system aims to issue national identity cards within 48 hours of application.

Capturing biometric data has traditionally been a time-consuming and labour-intensive process, requiring significant staff intervention, multiple touchpoints, and presenting a heightened risk of human error. Today, the deployment of advanced enrolment kiosks has transformed these tasks, automating each step of data collection and verification to improve efficiency and accuracy.

The European Union (EU) is making significant progress in its digital identity initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to standardising digital identification systems across member states. These efforts aim to enhance security within the region, with various countries implementing advanced digital ID solutions.

The technical committee of the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference, which takes place in Warsaw, Poland from 15-17 September 2025, has now completed its judging of the abstracts submitted for the conference.

The ongoing digitisation of personal identification demands reliable solutions for secure identification. Mobile IDs have proven to provide a simple verification method via mobile devices. Despite its growing popularity, many use cases for this technology remain largely unexplored. In this article, Veridos’ CEO, Marc-Julian Siewert reveals the full potential of mobile IDs.

Biometric authentication traditionally relies on single identifiers like fingerprints or facial scans. However, these can be spoofed or altered by ageing, injury, or illness. To counter this, researchers are embracing biometric fusion, which combines multiple biometric inputs — including facial geometry, fingerprints, voice, and even behavioural patterns — to validate identity with greater certainty. A recent article on Data Science Central, explores how emerging techniques in data science are driving these systems forward.

The 2025 Thales Digital Trust Index reveals a noticeable decline in global consumer trust across digital services. The study, encompassing over 14,000 consumers across 14 countries, indicates that no sector achieved a trust rating greater than 50%, underscoring widespread scepticism towards personal data handling practices in the digital domain.

At the recent High Security Printing™ EMEA conference in Basel, Switzerland, Dr Alexander Brannan from the University of Manchester, and Gary Spinks of Security Fibres UK, presented advances in colour-changing smart materials designed for rapid authentication. This technology addresses key issues in anticounterfeiting by integrating academic research with industrial application.

Orell Füssli (OF) has reported significant organic growth in its security printing and identity documents activities, reinforcing its position in secure document production. The company’s focus on expanding its core business without acquisitions has allowed it to achieve steady and sustainable progress, driven by strategic initiatives and increased demand for its products.

The Malawian government has formalised a 5-year contract valued at roughly $30 million with Madras Security Printers (MSP) Private Limited, an Indian firm specialising in security printing and eGovernment solutions. This agreement aims to enhance the nation's passport issuance system by addressing previous inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities.

Spectra Systems, a US provider of secure transaction technologies, has announced that its security printing division, Cartor Security Printers, has secured a five-year contract to produce postage stamps for an undisclosed postal supplier within the European Union.

The global security print landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and, in its wake, there are two extremes of skills shortage.

The Regional Banknote and ID Document of the Year Awards form part of the industry’s High Security Printing™ (HSP) EMEA conference. This year’s event was held in Basel, Switzerland, with the awards presented at a special ceremony during the conference dinner on 4 February 2025.

With the announcement this month from Microsoft that it has successfully fabricated its first quantum processor based on a novel material known as a ‘topological conductor’, the ID and secure document market faces a critical challenge: ensuring the security of cryptographic systems against potential quantum threats.

The PQC4eMRTD (Post-Quantum Cryptography for electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents) project is a European initiative launched on 28 February, aimed at enhancing the security of electronic machine-readable travel documents (eMRTDs), such as electronic passports, against emerging threats posed by advances in quantum computing.

Data both allows and creates questions. Answering questions generates information. Information allows decisions and actions. Without accurate, relevant, reliable, consistent, standardised and timely data, creating and delivering anything is hard, particularly change.

If you only read media reports, it would be easy to assume that the most significant advances in identity document security stem from digital innovation, with biometric verification, blockchain-based identity management, and digital certificates dominating discussions.

Facial recognition, as a technology, is becoming more common, finding applications for law enforcement, border management and commercial enterprise. However, this has raised concerns about how it is being used and whether clear rules exist to govern it.

The 2025 edition of the High Security Printing™ (HSP) EMEA conference was located, for the first time in its history, in Switzerland, in the picturesque city of Basel. The experience for the 265 delegates, almost 40% of whom came from central banks, government ministries and issuing authorities, did not disappoint, as was evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the survey at the conclusion of this three-day event (3-5 February).

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) has pioneered the use of patented thermo-reactive Liquid Crystal Ink in payment cards, adapting a technology previously used in the fashion industry. This advanced material science innovation enables the ink to transition from black to a dynamic multicolour display when exposed to temperature changes.

Facial recognition, as a technology, is becoming more common, finding applications for law enforcement, border management and commercial enterprise. However, this has raised concerns about how it is being used and whether clear rules exist to govern it. To address this, the Biometrics Institute, an organisation that studies the responsible use of biometrics, recently published a report called ‘Members’ Viewpoints: The Use of Facial Recognition in Policing.’

Spectra Systems Corporation, a Rhode Island-based provider of secure transaction technologies, has announced that its security printing division, Cartor Security Printers, has secured a 5-year contract to produce postage stamps for an undisclosed postal supplier within the European Union. The agreement is expected to generate revenue of between $3 million and $4 million over its duration.

For years, proof of identity relied solely on physical documents like passports or driving licences. However, the rise of new technologies has ushered in a wave of digital alternatives that offer greater convenience and security. Veridos, a leading provider of identity solutions, has identified four key technologies driving the evolution of digital identities.

The secure document and identity sector is going through a period of significant change, driven by mergers and acquisitions that I covered throughout 2024. As we start a new year, I want to take a step back and consider not just the headlines but the historical events and strategic thinking behind them.

Regula, a developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions, has unveiled the ForensicScope Regula 4125, a portable ID document scanner designed to detect face morphing, a sophisticated method of identity fraud that poses significant challenges to biometric systems.

A new and alarming threat to identity verification systems has emerged, as researchers at iProov1 have uncovered an operation known as ‘identity farming’.

The Batam Centre seaport in Indonesia is one of southeast Asia’s busiest and most complex border crossing points. Situated at the intersection of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, Batam Centre serves as a vital conduit for international travelers and trade. With approximately 4.2 million passengers moving through Batam’s domestic and international ferry terminals in the first half of 2024, the location is a linchpin to regional connectivity.

The debate over national ID cards in the UK has been going on for years, with various initiatives failing in overcoming public resistance to the idea (see IDN September 2020). But despite the lack of a formal national ID card, the UK has effectively adopted digital identity systems that serve the same purpose.

In its final days, the Biden administration prepared an executive order that emphasises the use of digital identity technologies, such as mobile driving licences (mDLs), to enhance identity verification for public benefit programmes.

The US ‘Bridge’ visa sticker replaced the ‘Lincoln’ visa design in July 2023, with both versions remaining valid until their printed expiration. An updated design of the Bridge visa has now been issued.

The Optical & Digital Document Security™ conference (15-17 September 2025 in Warsaw, Poland) is regarded as THE technical conference for physical, digital and virtual document security.

Sri Lanka has embarked on an ambitious digital transformation project with the introduction of the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) programme. This initiative aims to replace the country’s traditional physical identification card system with a digital ID infrastructure, modernising identity verification and access to services for its citizens.

On 13 January 2025, DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE, a German leader in the production of specialty and security papers, announced the acquisition of UK-based PORTALS PAPER Ltd, a well-known producer of high-security papers for passports and identity documents. This union merges the complementary strengths of two companies with rich traditions in secure papermaking, marking a significant development in the field of identity and counterfeit protection.

In its final days, the Biden administration is preparing an executive order that emphasises the use of digital identity technologies, such as mobile driving licences (mDLs), to enhance identity verification for public benefit programmes.