How can identity be verified when photo ID is unavailable or untrustworthy?

Is there truly a compromise between security and inclusion?

Last year at Identiverse, Chloe and Jaye shared the barriers faced by the billion people globally without good photo ID, along with Vouchsafe’s early policy work to build an inclusive alternative using vouching.

A year later, the landscape has shifted.

We've moved into financial inclusion, pushed on by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and its Consumer Duty reforms.

With 1 in 2 UK residents financially insecure and a similar picture in the US, firms are being forced to rethink how they serve customers with poor documentation.

Digital wallets and verifiable credentials may be the future, but millions remain excluded from accessing them. Deepfakes and AI-driven fraud mean photo ID scans won't offer genuine security for much longer.

We'll explore practical, technically feasible alternatives—such as online footprint analysis, behavioural insights, trusted referees, and biometrics—that balance security and inclusion.

Drawing on our work with the FCA, we’ll show how to drive innovate in an agile way in highly regulated sectors, ensuring secure, inclusive access for everyone.