SecureKey offers Digital Identity using Blockchain for Canadian Banks

SecureKey Technologies Inc., a leading provider of federated identity and authentication solutions, is now offering its digital identity network, Verified.Me, for consumers of CIBC, Desjardins, RBC, Scotiabank and TD across Canada. Canadian customers and members of these financial institutions will be able to use Verified.Me to help verify their identities online with the services they need in a privacy-enhanced and secure way, with BMO Bank of Montreal and National Bank of Canada to launch soon. Sun Life Financial Inc. has signed on as an early adopter and the first North American insurer on the service.

This approach to digital identity brings together the best capabilities of numerous parties including financial services, telecommunications and insurance providers, to create a holistic approach to digital identity that will protect the interests of consumers and businesses as they participate in today’s digital economy. Verified.Me is a digital identity and attribute sharing network, built on top of blockchain technology, that simplifies the sharing of personal information to help with identity verification in a safe way, allowing consumers to quickly and securely share information with participating service providers, while enabling businesses to achieve more streamlined, effective and cost-efficient client services and onboarding.

“This announcement marks the first time that consumers are officially able to access the Verified.Me application and gain greater control over their digital identities,” said Greg Wolfond, Founder and CEO, SecureKey Technologies. “Digital identity is one of the most enduring challenges of our time, and having the opportunity to showcase how a network of cross-industry organizations can come together to build a solution by and for consumers is an honour. We are excited to bring this first- of-its-kind network to market and look forward to its expansion as new participants join our service.”

“As Canadians increasingly turn to digital channels, it’s important to continue to develop solutions that create a more seamless way for Canadians to get access to the products and services they need,” said Brett Pitts, Chief Digital Officer, BMO Financial Group. “With Verified.Me, Canadians can now have an easier and more secure way to share their personal information, and it puts them in control to share that information when and how they want.”

“This initiative will play a critical role in further meeting consumer expectations for privacy and trust when transacting digitally,” said Greg Elcich, Vice President Enterprise Innovation, CIBC. “We are proud to be part of this effort and are looking forward to the enhanced experiences and benefits for CIBC clients.”

“The issues with identity today would be impossible to tackle without strong industry collaboration,” said Yann Jodoin, Head of Payments and Everyday Banking, Desjardins. “For us, the digital shift is about more than just technology – it’s a way of offering services designed to meet the needs and expectations of our members and clients. It’s an opportunity to make choices that will add value for them – and for society. By taking a network approach with Verified.Me, we provide our members with a stronger control over their information and the ability to use that information where and when they want, with peace of mind thanks to improved privacy and security.”

“Verified.Me uses blockchain technology to make the online identification process faster, more private and more secure for consumers,” said Lionel Pimpin, Senior Vice President, Digital Channels, National Bank of Canada. “This solution aligns perfectly with National Bank’s commitment to providing a simple and unified digital experience.”

“Security and trust are two expectations that consumers have when it comes to their personal information and digital identity. Creating seamless and convenient experiences that consumers have come to expect, based on these imperatives of security and trust, are fundamental to meeting their evolving digital needs,” said Peter Tilton, Senior Vice President, Digital, RBC. “The collaboration between industry partners to launch Verified.Me is a testament to our collective focus on the consumer as we strive to bring incremental value to their everyday digital interactions.”

“Verified.Me has been a combined effort of several network participants’ dedication, openness and innovative thinking,” said Katie Greenberg, Vice President, Digital Products and Retail Payments, Scotiabank. “We are entering a new era in which Canadians can clearly and confidently assert when, why and with whom their digital identity assets are shared. We are eager to offer this solution to our customers and look forward to setting the gold standard of digital identity worldwide.”

“By participating in SecureKey’s new Verified.Me service, we are putting technology to work for our customers to help them access the services they need in a digital world,” said Rizwan Khalfan, EVP and Chief Digital and Payments Officer, TD. “We are proud to be one of the first to offer our customers a simpler, more secure way to share their information in order to transact online.”

“The launch of Verified.Me is an exciting step towards making it easier for our Clients to do business with us, and ensuring that their access to Sun Life services is safe and secure,” said Mark Saunders, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, Sun Life. “To be able to bring this to market and provide Canadians with more control over their digital identities speaks to the importance of industry partnerships and collaboration to spark innovation.”

Along with Canada’s major financial institutions, a number of key digital identity network participants and innovation partners have helped to bring Verified.Me to market, including the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), Global Privacy and Security by Design, EnStream, Equifax, IBM and Prodigy Labs. Verified.Me is built on top of the IBM Blockchain Platform which is based on Linux Foundation’s open source Hyperledger Fabric v1.2, and will be interoperable with Hyperledger Indy projects.