The UK’s first digital bank, Atom, is to use face and voice biometrics as login core credentials.
Instead of using a password, which may not necessarily be as secure as it should be, Atom will use biometrics to complete actions such as viewing a balance or transferring money. The firm says that it is working to add fingerprints to the voice and face recognition systems it already has.
Customers will store their face, voice and passcode with the the Atom app, and then be able to decide how they want to be able to login.
The app will also be able to implement additional security checks if there is an unusual or high value transaction taking place.
Atom will use software company Daon’s mobile biometric authentication platform IdentityX. The firm’s CEO Tom Grissen said: "Daon’s IdentityX platform was designed to leverage existing smartphone features, acting as a biometric capture device, which simplifies the authentication process and removes the need for complicated passwords. We’re delighted to support Atom on their journey to make banking secure, easy and convenient."
Atom has also partnered with the IT services and solutions firm CSC, which provides the ConfidentID mobile authentication tool that uses Identity X, to provide a biometric gateway. Beau Andersen, CSC’s UK industry General Manager, Banking & Capital Markets, said:
"Ensuring a superior customer experience and high level of security for their customers will be key to Atom as they launch. We are delighted to be at the forefront of their inception and to be enabling a level of security which allows their customers to conduct transactions with confidence through secure authentication, a critical component of what they offer."
Atom was granted a Bank of England license in June 2015, and will launch in 2016, vowing to be "branch-free, paper-free and stress-free".
