eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer)

What it is:

eKYC stands for Electronic Know Your Customer, a digital process used to verify the identity of customers remotely using electronic documents, biometrics, and automated checks. It replaces traditional in-person verification with online workflows that combine government-issued IDs, facial recognition, and liveness detection. In modern CIAM and IAM systems, eKYC plays a critical role in secure digital onboarding for customers, partners, and workforce users.

Why it matters:

For regulated industries such as banking, insurance, and fintech, eKYC is essential to meet compliance requirements including AML (Anti-Money Laundering), KYC, and PSD2 while enabling frictionless customer acquisition. It reduces onboarding time, eliminates manual errors, and prevents fraudulent account creation by validating user identity at the point of registration. When combined with Behavioral Biometrics and Adaptive Security, eKYC provides an early defense layer against account takeover and identity fraud.

How it works:

• Document Verification: Customers upload government-issued IDs which are validated using OCR and third-party verification services.

• Facial Recognition & Liveness: The system compares a live selfie/video with the ID photo and runs liveness detection to ensure the user is physically present.

• AML/Watchlist Screening: eKYC processes often integrate background checks against watchlists and sanction databases.

• IAM Integration: eKYC feeds verified identity attributes into CIAM systems, enabling seamless onboarding flows in IAM Journeys. It integrates with tools like PingOne Verify, PingOne Protect, and containerized onboarding stacks for secure, scalable deployments.