A new digital ID service allows Australians to utilize their bank for identity verification with third parties.
The Australian Payments Plus (AP+) initiative, formed by the merger of domestic payment organizations BPAY, eftpos, and NPP Australia, has collaborated with major banks on the ConnectID project. This service enables individuals to request that a participating business verify their identity using trusted organizations, such as their bank, instead of supplying traditional identity documents.
ConnectID is currently available for customers of Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank across various applications, with Westpac and ANZ also participating in the system.
Importantly, the system does not access or store personal information; it serves solely as a connector between the organization needing identity verification and the one providing it, with the process initiated only upon customer authorization.
Katherine Sleeth, GM of Open Data at Commonwealth Bank, stated that ConnectID will streamline identification and authentication processes for both businesses and consumers throughout the economy. Similarly, Brad Carr, executive of digital governance at NAB, expressed pride in launching ConnectID, emphasizing its ability to simplify online identity verification for Australians while ensuring the protection of their data and privacy.