BBVA Becomes First Spanish Bank to Support Samsung Pass

BBVA has become the first Spanish bank to embrace Samsung Pass for user authentication, allowing customers to log into their accounts with Samsung’s biometric technology.

Samsung first announced its Samsung Pass platform ahead of the launch of its Note7 smartphone, envisioning it as a master key for online banking and other digital services that would use biometrics instead of usernames and passwords. While its promotion of Samsung Pass hit a stumbling block after the Note7 saw a mass recall due to a battery-related fire hazard, Samsung is once again well-positioned to promote Samsung Pass with multiple flagship devices that now support both fingerprint and iris recognition.

In a statement announcing BBVA’s embrace of Samsung Pass, the bank’s Head of Mobile Channels, Raúl Navarrete, asserted that iris recognition technology “not only provides agile and seamless access to the platform, but also offers an unparalleled level of cybersecurity.”

The Spanish bank’s embrace of Samsung Pass could serve as case study to further promote Samsung Pass adoption in Europe. The region will soon see the implementation of EU-mandated data privacy and security regulations, with FIDO Alliance standards offering businesses a clear guidepost as they seek compliant solutions; Samsung Pass is based on FIDO standards, and its use of biometrics offers the kind of convenience that many end users will appreciate.