Smile Identity, Africa’s leading identity verification and digital Know Your Customer (KYC) provider, has reached a significant milestone, surpassing 75 million identity verifications. Alongside this achievement, the company is embarking on a new chapter by rebranding itself as Smile ID.
Founded in 2017, the fintech has revolutionized African identity verification by developing tools that make it easy for Africans anywhere to quickly and easily prove their identity online and provide businesses with the software they need to automate customer onboarding, verify identities, and prevent fraud.
Now, with its new brand identity, the company is introducing its new name, Smile ID, which it says embodies strength, simplicity, and memorability.
“To make our brand name stronger, snappier and easier to remember, we’ve shortened our name to Smile ID. This simplification of our name embraces what many people already call us and moves us to a place where we can be more versatile as we grow and expand our services and product lines.” The company said in a blog post.
Smile ID New Products
To support businesses operating in Africa, Smile ID has also upgraded its web platforms by including new resources that provide up-to-date information on KYC regulations and best practices across the continent.
The company’s v10 software development kits (SDKs) for Android and iOS have undergone a complete overhaul to ensure enhanced reliability and simplified integration. The new SDKs offer a range of powerful features, including easy customization with modern UI components for a refreshed user experience. Smile ID also says it has optimized networking capabilities to cater to users with limited internet connectivity, thus enabling a seamless verification process even in low-bandwidth environments.
At the same time, Smile ID’s newest product, Smile Secure, serves as an add-on tool designed to prevent fraudulent activities. By scanning previously verified faces, Smile Secure identifies repeat users and alerts businesses, enabling them to block fraudulent individuals before any financial damage occurs.
Smile ID KYC Web Links
Smile ID is also introducing KYC Web Links, a no-code tool that simplifies user onboarding. By generating personalized links through the Smile portal, businesses can now be able initiate KYC verification effortlessly. Users receive a link that directs them to a pre-built web flow, where they can provide essential information such as selfies, ID numbers, and document images.
In February 2023, the company successfully concluded its Series B funding round, raising $20 million. This funding round propelled Smile ID’s total funding to $31 million, including the $7 million raised in its Series A funding round back in 2021. The company said it would use the funds to grow its existing teams across East, West, and Southern Africa while solidifying its Pan-African presence by entering Francophone and Arab-speaking markets.
