200 Million and Counting: Smile ID Doubles Growth in Less Than a Year
Smile ID provides real-time digital identity verification enabling businesses to securely confirm user identities across South Africa.
Smile ID, Africa’s leading identity verification platform, has reached an extraordinary milestone: 200 million identity verification checks. What took the company seven years to achieve with its first 100 million checks, it has now doubled in just 11 months, highlighting the growing demand for secure identity solutions across the continent.
“Reaching 200 million identity verifications is a remarkable milestone,” said Mark Straub, CEO of Smile ID. “It reflects the trust our clients place in us and the increasing role of digital identity in powering high-value transactions and protecting millions of users with AI-powered face authentication.”
Expanding Across Africa
Since its founding, Smile ID has become a trusted partner for financial institutions, fintechs, telecoms, and other industries, offering advanced biometric KYC and document verification solutions. These tools have set the standard for secure identity verification in Africa, enabling businesses to streamline onboarding processes and combat fraud effectively.
In the past year, Smile ID has expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria to include South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia, empowering businesses in these regions to meet regulatory requirements and enhance digital security. This growth reflects the platform’s commitment to driving financial inclusion and building trust across the continent’s digital economy.
At the core of Smile ID’s success is its SmartSelfie™ technology, an AI-powered face authentication solution designed to work seamlessly across diverse conditions, from low-bandwidth environments to entry-level devices. This innovation ensures that identity verification is both accessible and reliable, reducing fraud while providing a user-friendly experience.
With clients like Flutterwave, Binance, Uber, and Kuda Bank, Smile ID continues to enable rapid, secure onboarding at scale. By balancing fraud prevention with user convenience, the platform is fostering trust and supporting Africa’s accelerating digital transformation.
The Future of Digital Identity in Africa
By doubling its verifications in less than a year, Smile ID has proven its role as a vital driver of secure digital identity. Its growth underscores the importance of scalable solutions in powering high-value transactions, enhancing compliance, and promoting financial inclusion across the continent.
With plans to expand into even more markets, Smile ID is setting new benchmarks for what’s possible in digital identity. As Straub notes, “We’re making it easy for people to prove their identity with just their face, regardless of ID card or IP address.”
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