New Mint Onboarding System Links with UAE’s Biometric National ID Database

Mint Middle East (or “MME”) has developed a new digital onboarding system that is integrated with the Emirates Identity Authority, the government agency in charge of the United Arab Emirates’ national biometric ID program.

The company says it plans to use the platform for its own customer onboarding, and offer it as an efficient eKYC solution to partners in the financial services industry. Further elaborating in a press release, MME CEO Abul Razzak Al Abdullah explained that by launching the solution, his firm is “aligning our strategy with the Government’s push for financial transparency by ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and reducing the possibility of fraud.”

Depending on how exactly the onboarding system authenticates its users – MME’s announcement did not offer details – it could prove to be a popular one in a market that has offered indications of a substantial appetite for biometric technology. For years now, the government has collected citizens’ fingerprint biometrics, and the country’s Ministry of Interior announced the launch of a biometric screening system for UAE airports as far back as 2015; in the consumer sector, meanwhile, a recent Visa-commissioned survey found strong interest in biometric authentication for payments.

It’s not yet clear if Mint has already lined up partners who are keen to embrace its eKYC onboarding solution, but in announcing it, the company expressed confidence about its prospects in the UAE market.