Category: Digital Onboarding

Last month, my friend spent three hours trying to onboard a new customer at his fintech startup. The KYC verification system they were using crashed repeatedly during peak hours, their Aadhaar verification API was throwing timeout errors, and the customer got frustrated with having to re-upload documents multiple times. 

“Dude, I’m bleeding customers because of this stupid KYC mess,” he vented over coffee.

He continued,

“Yesterday alone, I lost two more leads – one guy’s selfie wouldn’t match properly even though it was clearly him, and another woman’s address verification failed because her electricity bill had a slightly different spelling. I can’t keep explaining to investors why our tech stack is failing us”.

His story got me curious about what options actually exist for Indian businesses in 2025.

After spending evenings combing through reviews on the forum discussions, I’ve put together this list of KYC verification providers that seem to be working well in India’s regulatory environment.

Methodology

We scoured company websites, product documentation, G2 and Capterra reviews, and even LinkedIn profiles of key team members to get the full picture. Our bullseye was finding solutions that truly work in India’s unique verification landscape.

We considered,

• Accuracy with Indian IDs (Aadhaar/PAN handling)
• Works everywhere (rural connectivity, basic phones)
• Dev-friendly (clean APIs, good docs)
• Keeps you compliant (RBI/SEBI ready)
• Fair pricing (transparent, predictable)

With that said, let’s now directly get into details. But first, if you are running short on time, here’s a quick glance.

Overview: KYC Verification Solution Providers in India

Platform	Description	Standout Feature
Signzy	India-grown solution that excels with local compliance requirements and Aadhaar integration	RBI-aligned verification flows
HyperVerge	Advanced facial recognition system that works across diverse Indian conditions	Low-bandwidth performance
KYC Hub	Customizable verification platform with strong workflow orchestration	Modular implementation
Shufti Pro	Hybrid AI-human system that handles challenging document cases	Human verification backup
uqudo	Specialized in official Indian government ID verification	Direct UIDAI integration
Karza (by Perfios)	Data-heavy verification platform that connects identity checks with risk analytics for lending decisions	Comprehensive lending lifecycle coverage
IDfy	Large-scale verification processor handling millions of monthly checks across identity and background verification	Operational scale and multi-country processing
Surepass Technologies	Speed-focused provider offering rapid deployment and broad API coverage for quick integration	One-hour implementation promise
iDenfy	Accessible, cost-effective solution ideal for smaller businesses	Quick, affordable implementation
AuthBridge	Comprehensive authentication platform covering both customer and employee verification needs	Dual-purpose verification ecosystem

Top 10 KYC Verification Solution Providers in India (2025)

We’ve compiled useful details, key services, and company overview for each of the entrants. For more information, you can check the official websites from the company overviews.

1. Signzy

Identity verification in India comes with real challenges: varying device quality and inconsistent connectivity often cause problems for systems designed under ideal conditions. Signzy stands out by creating facial recognition technology that works effectively despite these limitations.

Unlike global solutions that merely adapt to India, their system processes both English and regional language documents natively. This locally-focused approach shows deep understanding of India’s multi-language identity needs.

Signzy – Key Services

• AI-powered document verification
• Video KYC
• Biometric authentication
• Regulatory compliance automation
• Digital signature solutions
• Fraud detection system
• Business verification
• Compliance monitoring

Signzy – Company Overview

Founded	2015
Headquarters	New York
Official Website	signzy.com
LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamsignzy/

2. HyperVerge

HyperVerge’s KYC platform addresses the unique verification challenges Indian financial institutions face. Their technology works well across India’s diverse documentation needs. Whether handling different regional languages or functioning in areas with limited internet access, HyperVerge’s system accommodates the practical realities of verification throughout India.

Instead of forcing rigid processes, their platform works with existing banking systems while adapting to India’s changing regulatory environment, making compliance more manageable.

HyperVerge – Key Services

• Face match
• ID document verification
• OCR technology with regional language support
• Fraud detection
• Video KYC processing
• Business verification

HyperVerge – Company Overview

Founded	2014
Headquarters	Palo Alto, USA
Official Website	hyperverge.co
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/hyperverge-inc-

3. KYC Hub

KYC Hub moves away from standardized verification by allowing customization. Their flexible platform lets businesses create specific verification paths based on customer types and risk levels, treating KYC as a business advantage rather than just a regulatory requirement.

This adaptability is particularly valuable when considering India’s diverse financial ecosystem. A small loan applicant needs a very different verification approach compared to a private banking client with complex financial holdings.

KYC Hub – Key Services

• Aadhaar-based authentication
• PAN and document verification
• Perpetual KYC
• Video KYC
• Fraud prevention

KYC Hub – Company Overview

Founded	2019
Headquarters	London
Official Website	kychub.com
LinkedIn	https://uk.linkedin.com/company/kychub

4. Shufti Pro

While fully automated systems often struggle with difficult cases, Shufti Pro uses a mixed approach. They combine AI processing with human review when needed. This works particularly well with problem documents that automated systems might reject, such as worn ID cards or non-standard formatted papers.

Their system quickly adapts to regulatory changes, which is useful in India’s active compliance environment. This flexibility helps businesses stay compliant without disrupting operations when new rules are introduced.

Shufti Pro – Key Services

• Document verification 
• Facial biometric verification
• AML compliance screening
• Video KYC
• Address verification
• Age verification

Shufti Pro – Company Overview

Founded	2016
Headquarters	London, UK (with offices in Mumbai)
Official Website	shuftipro.com
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/shufti-pro

5. uqudo

With Aadhaar now central to India’s identity system, uqudo has focused on becoming an expert in government ID processing. Their system handles both QR code scanning and OTP-based verification.

When looking at why verification attempts fail across providers, uqudo’s AI-powered OCR stands out for its helpful approach, which actively reduces user mistakes that commonly stop verification processes.

uqudo – Key Services

• Aadhaar verification (QR and OTP)
• PAN verification
• Passport authentication
• Driving license verification
• Face recognition
• Liveness detection
• Document authenticity checks

uqudo – Company Overview

Founded	2019
Headquarters	Manchester, England
Official Website	uqudo.com
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/uqudo

6. Karza (by Perfios)

Karza operates as a data-heavy verification platform that goes beyond basic identity checks. Their strength lies in connecting verification with broader risk analytics – useful when you need to understand not just who someone is, but their risk profile for lending or business decisions.

The platform handles everything from simple ID checks to complex FIR record searches and income verification.

Karza (by Perfios) – Key Services

• TotalKYC API suite (100+ APIs)
• Video KYC solution
• FIR record serach
• Business due diligence
• Skip tracing

Karza (by Perfios) – Company Overview

Founded	2015
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Official Website	karza.in
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/karza-technologies

7. IDfy

IDfy covers the full spectrum from basic KYC to employee background verification – making them suitable for businesses that need multiple types of verification under one roof.

Their video KYC system offers both agent-assisted and self-serve options, adapting to different business needs and customer preferences. IDfy’s strength is operational scale – they’ve processed enough verifications to handle the edge cases that trip up smaller providers.

IDfy – Key Services

• Video KYC
• Liveness detection
• Identity verification
• Background verification
• Document OCR

IDfy – Company Overview

Founded	2011
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Official Website	idfy.com
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/idfy

8. Surepass

Surepass focuses on speed – both in verification processing and client onboarding. They claim businesses can start using their APIs within an hour of contact, which appeals to companies that need quick deployment without lengthy integration cycles.

Their approach emphasizes breadth over depth, offering APIs for everything from basic ID verification to payment processing. This makes them attractive for startups and smaller businesses that want one provider for multiple verification needs rather than managing multiple vendor relationships.

Surepass – Key Services

• Real-time verification APIs
• Video KYC
• Document verification
• Bank account verification
• Income verification

Company Overview

Founded	2019
Headquarters	New Delhi, Delhi
Official Website	surepass.io
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/surepass

9. iDenfy

While many providers focus on large enterprises, iDenfy has distinguished itself by making advanced verification accessible to organizations of all sizes. Their solutions can be implemented more quickly than complex enterprise systems, addressing the practical needs of smaller businesses that can’t manage long integration periods.

Unlike providers that limit premium support to large clients, iDenfy’s service approach offers verification expertise to businesses of all sizes, making quality verification more accessible in a divided market.

iDenfy – Key Services

• Identity document verification
• Biometric authentication
• Liveness detection
• Business verification
• Risk assessment
• Ongoing monitoring

iDenfy – Company Overview

Founded	2017
Headquarters	Kaunas, Kauno
Official Website	idenfy.com
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/idenfy

10. AuthBridge

AuthBridge positions itself as an authentication platform rather than just a KYC provider. They handle both customer verification and employee background checks, serving businesses that need comprehensive identity validation across their operations.

Their system integrates multiple verification layers with detailed reporting capabilities. AuthBridge works well for larger organizations that need robust compliance tracking and comprehensive verification coverage beyond just customer onboarding.

AuthBridge – Key Services

• Automated KYC verification
• Video KYC (V-CIP)
• Background verification
• Multi-document verification
• AML screening
• Employee verification

AuthBridge – Company Overview

Founded	2005
Headquarters	Gurugram, Haryana
Official Website	authbridge.com
LinkedIn	linkedin.com/company/authbridge

That was it for the day. 

Well, I must reemphasize: there’s no perfect KYC solution – each one has trade-offs. But after digging through all this, at least you won’t end up like my friend pulling his hair out over crashed systems and angry customers.

If Signzy sounds like it might work for your setup, book a demo here and see for yourself.

Every economy has its own leverage point. In the 80s, it was manufacturing. In the 2000s, it was tech. Today, for digitally native populations with high disposable income and cultural openness, it’s controlled entertainment ecosystems, the kind that blends gaming, gambling, and experience-driven infrastructure.

The UAE has figured this out earlier than most. 

But what makes it different isn’t just that it’s betting on gaming and gambling. It’s how it’s doing it, not through hype but through system design. 

Tight regulation, scarce licenses, public-private investment loops, and a national roadmap that treats gaming like a strategic export, not a distraction.

So, today, we’re going to break down why UAE’s gaming and gambling industry’s optimism is less about speculation and more about structure.

Current State of Gaming and Gambling in the UAE

When it comes to gaming and gambling, the UAE is already operating at scale, with numbers, infrastructure, and regulation that most emerging markets are still planning for. 

What stands out here is not just user adoption but how it’s paired with policy clarity and global brand involvement. 

• For Gaming, the UAE is already operating at scale. Around 73 percent of the population plays games regularly, and 41 percent are paying users, which points to a strong monetization base rather than just passive consumption.
• For gambling, the UAE has become the first Gulf nation to legalize commercial gambling, establishing a clear regulatory pathway through the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority. Analysts estimate the casino market here could exceed 8.5 billion dollars, rivaling established global hubs.

If we consider these numbers, it’s feasible to say that the UAE isn’t treating gaming and gambling like isolated sectors. 

Demand is already strong, but what makes the UAE different is that supply, from infrastructure to regulation, is being built just as aggressively.

What’s Working for the UAE’s Gaming and Gambling Sector?

Every fast-growing industry needs three things to sustain momentum: 

1. Aligned policy
2. Real infrastructure
3. Active flywheel of talent, capital, and demand. 

When all three show up at once, growth stops being reactive and starts becoming engineered. 

That’s exactly what’s happening in the UAE. 

The country’s rise in gaming and gambling isn’t coming from one lucky break. These are the eight big forces working together to drive that compounding effect.

1. High-Income and Digitally Native Population

The UAE has one of the youngest and most connected populations in the region. Smartphone penetration is above 90 percent, and digital content consumption is among the highest globally. The average annual spend per gamer is estimated at 95 to 115 dollars, much higher than global averages in emerging markets. 

This matters because it reduces the cost of customer acquisition and increases lifetime value, two of the hardest levers to solve in gaming economics.

2. Government-Led Vision and Execution

The UAE has made gaming and gambling part of national economic planning. 

Here are two pieces of evidence:

1. The creation of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority brought gambling into a legitimate, controlled framework. 
2. Simultaneously, Dubai’s 10-year gaming plan aims to position the city among the global top 10 in the industry. 

These moves really don’t seem to be just for PR. They’re structural commitments backed by actual policy, budget, and follow-through. 

3. Localization and Cultural Fit

Most Western studios fail in emerging markets because they don’t adapt to language, culture, or user behavior. The UAE is actively correcting for that. Arabic-first game content, culturally aligned esports branding, and region-specific tournaments are growing fast. It lays the foundation for long-term retention and community-led growth, especially in mobile and esports.

4. First-Mover Advantage in Legal Gambling

By legalizing commercial gambling ahead of its neighbors, the UAE has positioned itself as the region’s regulatory anchor. 

Operators like Wynn Resorts, which secured the first 3.9 billion dollar license in Ras Al Khaimah, are using it as a gateway into the Middle East. 

Regulatory clarity attracts high-trust operators and tourists with high spending power. And because licenses are being issued slowly and selectively, the UAE has been building scarcity in the market from day one.

5. Strong Capital Flows and Institutional Backing

Venture capital is only one part of the story. The real differentiator is sovereign-level backing. Funds like ADIA and Mubadala are limited partners in global tech and gaming funds. 

Hub71 alone has deployed a 2 billion dollar fund focused on metaverse, blockchain, and gaming startups. This kind of dry powder signals the availability of capital, government alignment, and regional scaling support. It’s a complete investment stack.

6. Real Infrastructure

While most countries start with policies and wait for industry to respond, the UAE is building physical and digital infrastructure upfront. 

• Yas Creative Hub is designed to house 600+ companies in gaming, media, and entertainment. 
• VR Park Dubai is already one of the largest of its kind. 
• Dedicated esports stadiums, gaming lounges, and smart zones are either operational or in development. 

This kind of infrastructure density creates gravity for talent, studios, events, and global partnerships.

7. Web3, VR, and Cloud Integration

Instead of replicating the console-first model seen in the US and Europe, the UAE is skipping straight to next-gen formats. 

Over 600 blockchain and Web3 firms are active in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Moreover, cloud gaming is being supported by local telcos and new entrants like Netflix. 

And if that’s not enough, see this: AR/VR alone is expected to generate over 4.1 billion dollars in GDP impact by 2030. 

These patterns show how the UAE’s economy, along with free zone facilities, is putting early bets on where user behavior and monetization are moving.

8. Education and Talent Development Pipelines

No ecosystem is sustainable without local talent. The UAE knows that. That’s why it’s funding Unity-led game dev programs, introducing esports into schools, and supporting coding boot camps tied to actual production pipelines. 

The region won’t be stuck importing talent forever. It’s building the human capital required to export its own games and IP.

How to Prepare Your Gaming or Gambling Business for the UAE

If you’re in gaming or gambling, this is one of the few places where infrastructure, policy, capital, and culture are all aligned in your favor. 

But it’s not a plug-and-play opportunity. 

What works in the West or East won’t work the same here. This market rewards relevance, readiness, and long-term thinking.

Below are five things out of many you must take care of before anything else. 

• Secure Your Regulatory Ground Early

For gambling operators and casino brands, the UAE is only issuing a few licenses, and those who align early with compliance standards will have an advantage. This isn’t a race to be first. It’s a race to be the most compliant, trusted, and locally aligned.

• Build Regionally Relevant IP

Studios and developers should stop viewing the UAE as a pure distribution play. There’s a huge opportunity to create Arabic-first content, culturally relevant storylines, and characters that speak to the region’s digital native users.

• View Casino Licensing as a Long-Term Moat

If you’re in hospitality or gambling, don’t expect fast expansion, but know that scarcity will reward early license holders with pricing power, market exclusivity, and policy influence for years.

• Invest in the Stack, Not Just the Surface

Infrastructure plays like payment gateways, anti-fraud systems, analytics platforms, and asset middleware will win long-term. The UAE wants to own not just games but also the entire pipeline behind how games are built and monetized.

• Treat Adtech and Analytics Like Regulated Tech

If your business touches user data, payments, or in-game ads, align with local compliance standards early. The regulators here move faster than you’d expect, but they reward readiness and transparency

Scaling Gaming or Gambling Business Responsibly

The UAE is one of the few markets where growth comes with clear rules, high expectations, and long-term rewards. But entering this space isn’t just about market size. It’s about readiness. The bar for trust, compliance, and operational discipline is higher here than in many legacy markets.

For platforms looking to grow in such structured, fast-moving environments, the fundamentals need to be built into the stack (not managed manually at scale). That means knowing who your users are, verifying them quickly, and staying aligned with complex regulatory requirements from day one. Some other reasons include:

• Age restrictions are real, and enforcement isn’t optional
• Onboarding needs to be fast, but never loose
• Fraud checks must run silently in the background
• Compliance shouldn’t slow growth, it should scale with it
• Risk profiles change fast, your systems need to keep up

Signzy’s suite of APIs, including Age Verification, KYC, Liveness Check, PEP Screening, Criminal Screening, and DL Verification, helps businesses navigate these expectations without slowing down onboarding or compromising user experience. Whether you’re entering the UAE or scaling into any compliance-intensive market, these tools are built to help you move faster with less friction.

To explore how Signzy can support your expansion into regulated, high-growth markets, book a demo here.

Every business that deals with money eventually builds some form of control. Sometimes it’s just basic KYC. Sometimes, it’s a detailed risk engine tied to dozens of checks. 

Either way, the idea is the same: you want to know who’s transacting, why they’re doing it, and whether the money being moved should raise concern. 

That’s the essence of AML in India.

If there’s financial value being handled, 

AML compliance becomes part of the operations.

But here’s where it gets overlooked. Many businesses don’t struggle because the rules are unclear. They struggle because the guidance they follow is either too high-level to act on or too fragmented to implement properly.

Today, we’re going to make sense of it all: what laws apply, who the regulators are, what practical steps matter, and where technology can reduce friction without compromising risk coverage. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

AML in India, Quick Overview

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations in India don’t sit under a single document. It’s a tight mesh of laws, rules, circulars, and regulatory instructions. At the center of it sits the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. This is what gives the legal backing. But that’s just one piece.

In practice, compliance plays out across multiple fronts. There are the PMLA Rules from 2005. Then there are sector-specific directions as well. Six key regulatory bodies oversee this all:

1. Reserve Bank of India: Regulates banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and payment system operators
2. Securities and Exchange Board of India: Regulates stockbrokers, mutual funds, portfolio managers, and investment advisers
3. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India: Regulates life insurance, general insurance, and health insurance providers
4. Financial Intelligence Unit – India: Receives reports from all reporting entities across sectors and analyzes suspicious transaction patterns
5. Enforcement Directorate: investigates and prosecutes individuals and entities involved in money laundering under PMLA
6. Ministry of Finance: notifies and brings under compliance real estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, professionals like chartered accountants, company secretaries, cost accountants, and virtual digital asset service providers

Each of these bodies promotes its own version of AML guidelines depending on who it regulates. So, a payment app doesn’t face the same expectations as a stockbroker or insurance firm.

Now that we have a working knowledge of AML regulations and who needs to follow them, let’s go through some of the most important regulations. 

AML Laws in India

To comply with the AML regulations India has enforced, it’s not enough to follow just one law. Businesses have to track the full set, from what the PMLA defines to how reporting should be done to what the latest circular means for their category.

We are going to cover 6 areas below which covers the nice range of information for “reporting entities” regarding the laws they need to comply with at minimum.

1. Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA)

This is the spine. Everything else leans on this. The PMLA defines what counts as money laundering, what qualifies as proceeds of crime, and what the penalties are. It gives powers to authorities like the Enforcement Directorate to investigate and prosecute offenses.

The Act also lays out responsibilities for businesses. These include record keeping, reporting of suspicious transactions, and verifying clients through KYC processes.

Over the years, the law has been amended to widen its scope. Today, even tax evasion linked to foreign assets or cross-border transactions can fall under its net.

2. PMLA (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005

This is where the operational side comes in. The Rules break down the “how”: how to maintain records, how long to keep them, and what exactly needs to be reported to the FIU.

They also define terms like “beneficial owner”, “politically exposed person”, and explain how enhanced due diligence should be done in higher-risk cases. These rules are updated regularly. For instance, recent changes brought virtual asset providers and specific professionals into the fold.

3. RBI Guidelines on AML and KYC

For entities under RBI (i.e., banks, NBFCs, payment companies) the AML checklist is stricter. RBI has issued detailed Master Directions that cover everything from risk grading of customers to periodic review of accounts.

These guidelines are not suggestions. They’re binding. Any gap in adherence can trigger audits, monetary penalties, or even suspension of operations.

4. SEBI Guidelines for Capital Market Intermediaries

Stockbrokers, mutual fund houses, portfolio managers: all these players answer to SEBI. SEBI’s AML framework is structured around client onboarding, transaction monitoring, and risk-based due diligence.

There are clear formats for suspicious transaction reports. There’s also a strong push towards automation of alerts and red-flag detection.

5. IRDAI Guidelines for Insurance Entities

Insurers have a different customer flow and product structure. IRDAI has crafted its AML instructions to reflect that. From verifying the source of premium payments to tracking policy transfers, insurers need to watch for patterns that might be used to clean up money.

In case of a flagged transaction, they are expected to alert the FIU just like any other financial intermediary.

6. Sector-Specific Circulars and Notifications

Apart from the main regulators, the Ministry of Finance has also issued notifications for niche sectors. These include guidelines for:

• Real estate agents
• Dealers in precious metals and stones
• Professionals like CAs, CS, and Cost Accountants
• Virtual digital asset platforms

Each comes with its own list of expectations. The language is clear. If you handle money, you need to know your customer. And you need to report what doesn’t look right.

Steps to Comply with AML Setups

Not every business follows the same compliance path. A stockbroker’s AML setup will look different from a payment gateway’s. A jeweller will follow a different set of instructions than an NBFC. 

The AML regulations laid out in India are shaped by the type of entity, the kind of transactions handled, and the level of risk exposure.

That said, there are certain steps that cut across categories. The broad strokes every regulated business is expected to follow. Here’s a high-level view. 

Use this as a base, and adapt it to fit the exact guidelines that apply to your sector.

Step 1: Risk-Based Customer Due Diligence

The first layer is knowing your customer, not just identity, but intent and behavior too. Businesses are expected to classify customers based on risk levels. A salaried account holder with basic transactions will fall into low risk. A foreign entity wiring funds regularly might be marked as high risk.

Depending on the level, due diligence requirements change. The higher the risk, the deeper the scrutiny.

Step 2: Establish an Internal AML Policy

Prepare an AML policy that should clearly define internal responsibilities, reporting chains, how suspicious activity is flagged, and what kind of monitoring is expected.

The policy should also include procedures for staff training, escalation paths, and periodic reviews. Most regulators now expect this policy to be formally approved by the board.

Step 3: Set Up a Monitoring and Reporting System

Every regulated entity must have a system in place to detect unusual transactions. This could be manual tracking in smaller setups, or an automated rule-based system for higher-volume players.

Once detected, suspicious transactions need to be reported to the FIU using prescribed formats like STRs (Suspicious Transaction Reports) or CTRs (Cash Transaction Reports).

Step 4: Maintain Proper Records

Regulations require businesses to store key customer and transaction records for at least five years after the relationship ends or the transaction is complete, whichever is later.

These records must be clear, retrievable, and structured in a way that allows quick access if requested by the regulator.

Step 5: Ongoing Training and Audits

AML setups are not a one-time effort. Staff handling onboarding, finance, and customer service should receive periodic training on AML red flags and compliance workflows.

Many sectors also require internal audits of AML systems. These checks help plug process gaps and show regulators that the business takes India’s AML obligations seriously.

Scaling AML Compliance Operations With Technology

Manual checks don’t scale. And in AML, delays are dangerous. 

With regulatory pressure increasing and fraud techniques getting sharper, relying only on paperwork or spreadsheets isn’t enough. 

That’s where API-first tools help. With the right integrations, businesses can automate their AML processes without breaking existing systems. Here are three solutions often used to tighten AML workflows:

• PAN Verification API: Instantly verifies customer PAN details with official government databases, helping eliminate false entries and reduce onboarding fraud.
• Face Match + Liveness Check APIs: Verifies if the person behind the screen is real and matches the submitted ID, reducing the risk of impersonation or mule accounts.
• Bank Account Verification API: Confirms if a bank account exists, is active, and belongs to the intended user. Useful for payout businesses, fintechs, and NBFCs.

Whether you’re onboarding customers, verifying identities, or monitoring fraud, Signzy APIs are designed to make compliance smoother and faster.

Want to see how this fits your setup? Book a free demo.

On April 1, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India will complete 90 years. That’s 90 years of shaping how India banks, saves, invests, and grows. A milestone like this isn’t just about looking back. It’s about taking a moment to see how far the system has come and how many lives it has touched along the way.

Since the early 2010s, we’ve had the chance to be a small part of that journey. From experimenting with digital onboarding to building KYC tools that reach people in the most remote corners, every step has been about making finance simpler and more inclusive.

Let’s take a look at what’s been built together with RBI and the vision that continues to guide what we build next.

A Shared Vision for Inclusive Finance

In a country as diverse and complex as India, where access often depends on geography or circumstance, the ability to engage with formal finance can change lives. RBI has played a central role in enabling this by streamlining processes and setting clear regulatory paths. 

This way, it is now easier for institutions to reach everyone, from the underserved to the urban user.

From the early push to bring banking to rural India to supporting digital payments and UPI, RBI’s intent has been clear: make finance available to everyone, not just the privileged few.

Look closely, and the pattern shows up everywhere. 

• In villages where branch infrastructure is still limited. 
• In urban slums, paperwork is often rejected. 
• In small towns where people want to save, invest, or insure but don’t know how to begin.

Tools need to be built with those realities in mind. Not just high-tech, but high-reach. Not everyone will have perfect documents, a 4G connection, or a quiet room for verification. But everyone deserves a shot.

At Signzy, we’ve tried to build in the same spirit. From the beginning, our focus has been to make onboarding tools that don’t assume high-speed internet, tech-savviness, or urban infrastructure. If something only works in Tier 1 cities, it doesn’t really work for India.

Our Video KYC journey reflects that belief. And our work with RBI as a partner has pushed us to stretch that belief even further. 

Together, we’re changing what that entry point looks and feels like.

Solving the KYC Bottleneck

For years, KYC has been the silent friction point in financial services. Everything else could be digital (e.g., account opening, app journeys, customer support), but identity verification dragged behind. 

Manual checks took days, required in-person visits, and made the cost of onboarding disproportionately high. Even when financial institutions moved to online flows, the process still broke down too often. Document uploads failed, images were unclear, users didn’t know what went wrong. Completion rates stayed low, especially in rural or low-bandwidth settings.

This is where the bottleneck really showed. Not in policy or in product, but in that one moment where a user had to prove who they were, and the system couldn’t keep up. 

RBI recognized this early. It permitted new methods like video KYC and actively pushed the ecosystem to explore them. Through innovation contests, sandbox environments, and regulatory clarity, it set the tone: identity verification had to become faster, safer, and more inclusive. 

That shift in direction gave space for players like Signzy to build systems that could meet those expectations. Before diving into how Signzy took it a step further, let’s understand how the solution works in general.

How Does Video KYC Work

Good onboarding feels invisible. That’s exactly what video KYC was designed to do. 
Whether someone starts the process from a bank app, website, or shared link, the experience is the same: simple, direct, and fully guided.

Here’s how it works, step by step:

1. Session starts via a link or embedded widget: Customers begin their journey through a secure web link or in-app flow. No installations and no friction. The front-end handles pre-call checks, network, camera, mic, VPN restrictions, and device compatibility.
2. Document and PAN verification in real-time: The customer is prompted to show their PAN or other valid ID to the camera. OCR extracts data live, and PAN is verified instantly through APIs. Any mismatch is flagged immediately for correction.
3. Live face match and passive liveness detection: Advanced AI compares the customer’s face to the document photo, confirming the identity and detecting spoofs (e.g., masks, pre-recorded videos) without interrupting the flow.
4. Agent joins for final checks and Q&A: A trained KYC agent conducts dynamic questioning guided by configurable rule engines. Responses are assessed alongside captured data, ensuring both compliance and fraud prevention.
5. Outcome is logged, time-stamped, and audited: The entire session (including video, screenshots, document scans, face match results, and network diagnostics) is logged. All data is stored securely and is accessible through a real-time admin portal and MIS dashboard.

No uploads. No silent failures. Just one clean, human interaction.

The entire process wraps up in minutes, and the user walks away verified. 

What Makes Signzy’s vKYC Solution Powerful

Once the bottleneck was reimagined, it had to be rebuilt with infrastructure that could actually deliver.

Here’s what makes Signzy’s vKYC platform resilient, scalable, and truly inclusive:

• Works on 75 kbps connections: Designed to operate even on low-speed mobile data, making it accessible to users in remote or low-infra bandwidth regions.
• Supports 9 Indian languages: The interface, prompts, and agent workflows are multilingual by design, so customers aren’t forced to navigate in a language they’re not comfortable with.
• Advanced spoof and liveness detection: Detects pre-recorded videos, static images, or screen replays in real-time, protecting against fraud without requiring heavy backend checks.
• 300+ concurrent calls supported: Built to handle large-scale deployment across multiple regions and teams without performance dips or scheduling conflicts.
• Built-in chat, rejoin, and queueing systems: If a call drops or load spikes, the session isn’t lost. Customers can rejoin, chat with support, or reschedule without restarting the process.
• 96% conversion rate across implementations: Higher completion rates, fewer retries, and increased application acceptance, resulting in lower onboarding costs and faster go-to-market for partners.
• Real-time dashboards and automated MIS reports: Get full visibility into call volumes, agent activity, and session outcomes with a 360° dashboard. Daily MIS reports are generated automatically, offering transparency without manual effort.

This feature set was built with India’s unique environments in mind and the belief that inclusion can’t wait for perfect conditions.

Now, the question of security arises. Let’s address that as well.

Security Standards

When it comes to KYC, speed means nothing without security. Every session on Signzy’s platform is encrypted end-to-end and stored with full regulatory compliance. 

The system is ISO 27001:2013 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified, with built-in controls for data privacy, audit trails, and secure access across every layer, from agent interfaces to backend dashboards.

Even India’s top regulators have acknowledged this push. 

Recognition and Regulatory Collaboration

Regulatory bodies and industry forums played a key role in shaping the direction of what Signzy has built.

• RBI Payments Innovation Award (2016 & 2018): Early recognition that identity verification could be reimagined using digital-first infrastructure without compromising on compliance.
• Limited Use Authorization for Unified KYC (2022): Approval to enable broader adoption of seamless, cross-platform KYC journeys under a regulated framework.
• RBI Sandbox for Unassisted Video KYC (2024): Selected for testing fully automated KYC flows, moving beyond assisted models, and pushing the envelope on trust and scale.
• IFSCA Global FinTech Hackathon Winner: Chosen among top global solutions for regulatory-grade innovation in onboarding and identity.
• IAMAI RegTech & Fintech Awards (2018–2021): Repeatedly recognized as the most innovative provider in KYC, compliance automation, and financial data handling.
• India Fintech Forum – IFTA Awards: Acknowledged for best-in-class RegTech design and operational excellence across consecutive years.

vKYC Use Cases

vKYC’s real strength is how it fits across different parts of the financial ecosystem. Wherever identity verification is a barrier, video KYC makes the process faster, safer, and easier to scale.

Use Case	How vKYC Helps
Bank Account Opening	Fast, compliant onboarding without physical visits
Loan Disbursals	Real-time verification before funds are released
Insurance Onboarding	Policyholder validation with live checks
Mutual Fund KYC	Quick activation for first-time investors
Pension & Retirement Plans	Enables remote onboarding for older or rural users
Credit Card Issuance	End-to-end digital application and KYC validation
CKYC Record Creation	Seamless upload and verification into the central KYC

We offer this through a robust Video KYC API as well as a comprehensive KYC suite that includes DigiLocker, Aadhaar verification, and more. Built to plug into existing systems or run as a full-stack solution, it’s trusted by 30+ institutions across India, including the likes of Union Bank, Citi Bank, Tata Mutual Fund, Aditya Birla Capital and more.

And we’re just getting started.

Closing note

A heartfelt thank you to the Reserve Bank of India and every partner who placed their trust in this journey. We’ve come a long way together, but the work is far from done. Onboarding should feel simple, safe, and seamless—no matter who you are, where you’re from, or what device you’re on.

Collecting KYC documents in the UAE isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a good time. Yet here you are, tasked with making sure your business gets it right. 

And with financial penalties that can make your CFO break out in a cold sweat, the stakes couldn’t be higher. So, if you came here looking for a straight-shooting guide to KYC document collection in the UAE, perfect – you got exactly that. 

Let’s start right away.

UAE KYC Document Requirements for Individual Customers 

Running a UAE business means you’ll be collecting KYC documents from individual customers pretty regularly. And while it might seem straightforward, there’s more to it than just grabbing a copy of someone’s Emirates ID.

Document Required	Purpose
Emirates ID (Latest version)	Serves as primary identity verification and confirms UAE residency status
Valid Passport	Verifies nationality, provides secondary identification, and required for non-residents
UAE Visa Page	Confirms legal residency status and duration of stay
Proof of Address (< 3 months old)	Establishes current residential location and validates contact details
FATCA/CRS Self-Certification	Determines tax residency status and ensures international compliance
Source of Funds Declaration	Creates transparency about income sources and helps assess risk levels
Recent Photograph	Enables visual verification and maintains updated records
Specimen Signature	Provides a baseline for future transaction verification

UAE KYC Document Requirements for Businesses and Corporate Customers

Corporate KYC is like peeling an onion – there are multiple layers to verify, and yes, sometimes it might make you want to cry. 

Document Required	Purpose
Trade License	Confirms legal registration and permitted business activities
Certificate of Incorporation	Verifies company formation and registration details
Memorandum & Articles of Association	Outlines company structure and operational framework
Board Resolution	Authorizes specific individuals to act on the company’s behalf
Shareholder Registry	Maps ownership structure and identifies major stakeholders
UBO Declaration	Identifies ultimate beneficial owners with >25% ownership
Director Details & IDs	Verifies the identity of all board members and decision-makers
POA Holder Documents	Validates authority of designated representatives
Business Bank Statements (3 months)	Demonstrates financial activity and transaction patterns
Entity FATCA/CRS Forms	Confirms tax residency status and reporting obligations

Now, these were requirements for any normal corporation and businesses. But if your customer base includes non-financial businesses and professions, you need to collect some additional documents. 

Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) UAE KYC Document Requirements

If you are dealing with – Real estate agents, law firms, accounting practices, precious metal dealers and such businesses in UAE – you’d need to collect some additional documents than normal businesses and individuals. 

Everyone’s KYC requirements are unique because their risks are different. Not complete, but here’s the list you can refer to along with collecting some sector-specific documents.  

Document Required	Purpose
Professional License	Validates authority to operate in a regulated sector
Registration Certificate with Supervisory Authority	Confirms compliance with sector-specific regulations
Beneficial Ownership Declaration	Maps control structure beyond 25% ownership
Partner/Owner Identity Documents	Verifies key stakeholders’ backgrounds
Business Activity Profile	Establishes the nature and scope of operations
Compliance Officer Appointment	Shows commitment to regulatory requirements
Risk Assessment Documentation	Demonstrates understanding of sector-specific risks
AML Policy & Procedures	Proves the existence of internal controls
Staff Training Records	Confirms ongoing compliance awareness
Transaction Monitoring Framework	Shows capability to identify suspicious activities

While verifying DNFBPs in UAE, you’re often dealing with professionals who know the rules but might be resistant to extensive documentation. Be ready to make it clear that proper KYC protects their practice as much as it protects you.

UAE KYC Document Requirements for Trusts and Non-Profit Organizations

Trusts and NPOs require extra scrutiny – not because they’re inherently risky, but because their structures can be complicated and their activities often cross borders.

Trust and NPO verification in UAE is like a detailed family portrait – you need to capture every relationship, every flow of funds, and every decision-maker in the picture.

Document Required	Purpose
Trust Deed/NPO Constitution	Establishes legal framework and operational scope
Founder/Settlor Documentation	Identifies the source of assets and founding purpose
Trustee Appointment Documents	Verifies authority of asset managers
Beneficiary Information	Maps out who ultimately benefits from the structure
Council Member Details	Confirms the identity of governing body members
Source of Donations (NPOs)	Tracks the origin of funds and ensures legitimacy
Annual Financial Reports	Shows pattern of activities and fund distribution
Regulatory Approvals	Validates compliance with UAE charity regulations
Guardian Details (if applicable)	Identifies oversight personnel
Project Implementation Reports (NPOs)	Documents how funds are being used

The layered nature of these organizations can make it tricky. 

A trust might have beneficiaries who are themselves other trusts. An NPO might receive donations through complex channels. Your job is to untangle these threads without getting caught in them.

You can create a visual mapping tool for these structures. Sometimes seeing the relationships drawn out makes verification easier and helps spot potential risks you might miss in text-only documentation.

Verifying the collected UAE documents

Having a stack of KYC documents doesn’t mean you’re actually meeting compliance requirements. The real challenge kicks in when you need to verify each document’s authenticity, cross-reference details across multiple sources, and maintain ongoing monitoring. All while keeping your customer onboarding smooth and swift.

In a region where regulatory scrutiny is intensifying and penalties for non-compliance can be severe, the margin for error is basically zero. 

Even worse, high-quality forgeries are just a few clicks away nowadays – traditional eyeball-and-approve methods just don’t cut it anymore. 

That’s where Signzy steps in, offering targeted solutions for UAE businesses. Our KYC Verification API handles everything from Emirates ID validation to corporate document verification, while our Identity Verification Suite ensures comprehensive individual authentication. 

For corporate clients, our UBO and Criminal Screening APIs add that extra layer of security your compliance team needs. Because at the end of the day, verification shouldn’t be your bottleneck – it should be your strength.