What Is eKYC in Banking, and Why Is It Important?

KYC stands for "know your customer" and is a process used by banks and other financial institutions to verify the identity of their clients. It's important because it helps banks prevent money laundering and other fraudulent activities.

But In recent years, there has been a growing trend in the banking industry towards digitization and automation. This has led to the development of new technologies such as eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer), which elevates the traditional authentication and onboarding process.

eKYC Meaning

eKYC is a digital KYC solution that allows banks to verify a client's identity remotely without the need for paper documents. This not only saves time and resources but also helps to ensure compliance with government regulations.

This process helps them to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering and other regulatory requirements and enables efficient onboarding of new clients.

eKYC typically involves a client providing proof of ID document and address through an online portal or mobile app, which then gets verified electronically in a secure manner. By employing eKYC, banks are able to reduce costs associated with manual paperwork processing while providing more convenience and safety for their clients.

How Does Electronic KYC Work?

The eKYC process is initiated by the client, who provides their personal information to the bank via apps or websites. It involves the client verifying their identity by providing information such as a driver's license, passport, or other government-issued identification cards.

The client's personal data is securely transmitted and shared with the service provider via an electronic platform. Through this process, clients can easily access services without sharing redundant information every time. With eKYC in place, clients are now able to save time and money while enjoying a secure digital experience. The eKYC technology allows the bank to access multiple databases to check information eligibility.

With sensitive financial data involved and cybercrimes on the rise, banks must go further than checking for names and ID numbers, and eKYC allows them to do that. The digital KYC process involves technologies that enhance security and provide an extra layer of security and protect clients against spoofing. These include facial recognition and liveness detection.

What Are the Benefits of eKYC in Banking?

eKYC can benefit both clients and banks; here is how:

eKYC Helps Banks Verify the Identity of their Clients Quickly and Easily

eKYC presented an answer to the most common challenge in the banking sector: how to verify a client's identity quickly, thus allowing them to open accounts without unnecessary delays.

eKYC eliminates the need for clients to physically present documents as proof of their identity, providing an easy and secure digital alternative.

The process is performed in real-time, streamlining the bank onboarding process and satisfying requirements from both regulatory authorities and clients.

eKYC Eliminates the Need for Paper Documents, Which Saves Time and Money

Using eKYC eliminates much of the inefficiency and expense associated with managing and verifying paper documents, resulting in considerable time and money savings. This electronic alternative offers enhanced security and usability through secure validation methods to reduce third-party document exchange and storage maintenance costs.

eKYC Is more Secure than Traditional KYC Methods

eKYC's secure protocol, which relies on biometric authentication methods like facial recognition, offers a reliable way to verify users with greater accuracy than traditional KYC methods. Therefore, it reduces the risk of fraud and helps financial institutions ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

eKYC Improves Customer Satisfaction and Expands Reach

By leveraging digital documents and digital authentication methods, eKYC drastically reduces the time it takes to validate a client's identity, which enhances satisfaction and provides them with an elevated experience. Clients can now open accounts in minutes rather than waiting days or weeks!

In addition, banks can expand their reach with greater speed and accuracy and the ability to onboard clients anywhere in the world.

EDC's eKYC Solution

We offer banks and financial institutions a cutting-edge ICP Integrated digital authentication solution that allows them to validate Emirates ID and authenticate clients within minutes while keeping them secure.

Request a demo today to learn more!