Singaporean Bank Enables Biometric Onboarding via National ID Database

Singapore’s DBS Bank has announced that it is the first private sector entity to allow biometric facial authentication for its services using the government’s national biometric database and the SingPass Face Verification service.

The database is made up of the facial images and identities of roughly four million Singaporeans aged 15 and over. The biometric data was collected via applications for passports and the country’s National Identity Registration Card (NRIC).

Until the announcement by DBS, the database and SingPass — which was developed for the government by GovTech — has been used only for official purposes such as ID verification at border checkpoints and for biometric access control in some government buildings.

DBS Bank has integrated SingPass Face Verification into its own digital banking app, allowing customers to register for a new account or verify online transactions by taking a selfie, eliminating the need for a PIN or credit or debit card number.

To use the new feature, DBS Bank customers will need to download the latest version of the DBS digibank app, select the identity type they are registering off of (NRIC, Malaysian IC or passport), and enter their corresponding ID number. From there they select SingPass Face Verification to verify themselves and take a selfie which will be instantly matched against the records in the government’s database. Upon approval they will receive a one time password (OTP) via SMS which will complete the registration process.

“Together with GovTech, we aim to support those who are journeying into digital banking for the first time and to help foster resilient digital habits that will last for years to come,” said Jeremy Soo, head of Consumer Banking Group (Singapore) at DBS.

“We look forward to building more impactful services with the financial sector and beyond to bring greater convenience to our citizens,” said Kok Ping Soon, CEO of GovTech.

The launch of the service for DBS comes following a successful trial earlier this month involving more than 100 seniors and students from ITE College West.

Source: The Straits Times

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July 30, 2020 – by Tony Bitzionis