The Biometric Update Podcast

On top of her work for Idemia Public Security North America and frequent speaking appearances, Teresa Wu led the creation of the SIA's new Corporate Credential Design Guide, which establishes a unified, vendor-neutral framework for designing secure, interoperable, and user-friendly corporate credentials. In this episode, Teresa Wu talks about how the guide came to be, who it's for - and why she deserves the title of Captain Credential.   

David Crack, chair of the Association of Document Verification Professionals (ADVP) has been busy advocating for providers verified under the Digital Verification Service trust framework. He says the DVS only exists because of the work of Phil Booth, national co-ordinator of the influential NO2ID campaign. On this episode of the Biometric Podcast, Crack and Booth debate what a good digital ID looks like for the UK. 

This is the moment Concordium has been waiting for. CEO Boris Bohrer-Bilowitzki says the blockchain protocol is among those best positioned to bring trusted authentication to the emerging AI economy. In this episode, hear him discuss why building identity in at the protocol level is going to be a key feature -- and sooner than you might think.  

In February, Colorado-based biometrics and vision AI provider ROC closed the first big biometrics IPO of 2026. I’m Joel McConvey, and today on the Biometric Update Podcast, ROC CEO Scott Swann joins me to discuss the company’s IPO, the security landscape, and where ROC is headed in a fraught world.

Wizz, a French social chat platform for young people, recently became one of the few European members of the Tech Coalition, a collection of companies working together to prevent online child exploitation. In this episode, Alexandra Ryabova, Head of Ops for Wizz, and Sean Litton, CEO of Tech Coalition, talk about about how the industry is approaching online safety as regulations roll out.

Ben Fischer is a Marshall scholar who graduated from Stanford University, and is now at the University of Edinburgh studying the technical and social implications of privacy preserving age assurance. He had a chance to sign an open letter from a group of scientists, calling for a moratorium on age assurance laws globally. He chose not to sign it. In this episode, he explains why. 

It used to be that good help was hard to find. These days, real help is hard to find. Amplified by AI, fraud attacks target every part of the hiring pipeline, from fake resumes to deepfake interviews. In this episode, Socure's Head of Product Deepanker Saxena takes us into the world of hiring fraud. 

The way digital identity is commonly presented – as a tool for protecting against fraud and other benign uses – is different from how it’s being built, according to World Ethical Data Foundation Director of Institutional Programming Michael Nash. Nash tells The Trust Files, presented by Velvet and Biometric Update, that digital ID is redesigning how people are allowed to live their lives, without fixing the problems it was intended to solve.

Hal Lonas thought he might like to be an astronaut. So he studied aeronautics. But he got bored.  The world of identity fraud moves faster than just about any sector, so Hal has found a suitable challenge as the CTO of Trulioo. In this episode, he talks about how to stay ahead of the bad guys when you're fighting fraud on a cosmic scale. 

Cooperatives emerged as a reaction to the excesses of the industrial revolution. In the digital context, an equivalent can give people control and ownership over their own data while benefitting local communities, SafeGuarden Co-founder and Chair of CDD Services David Crack. Data cooperatives offer the opportunity to reuse the data for proof of age or to share a range of credentials, Crack says I the latest episode of The Trust Files.

Tony Allen is busy organizing the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit, coming to Manchester from April 12-14, 2026. But he took some time to give the Biometric Update Podcast a preview of some festival highlights, as well as his thoughts on how age assurance legislation is unfolding in Australia and the UK -- and, on chairs. 

In a contribution to The Trust Files, presented by Velvet and Biometric Update, Venkatesh argues credentials are just one piece in the larger continuous trust machine. He explains the urgency of the situation and the other pieces of the system needed to scale AI safely.

Conversations from on the ground at MOSIP Connect 2026 in Rabat, Morocco. Biometric Update Managing Editor Chris Burt talks digital identity, inclusion, interoperability and biometrics with Andrew Musoke of CMU Africa and Digvijay Kanwar of Next Biometrics. 

The agent economy is replacing the digital economy the world is still adjusting to, Ping Identity Group Product Manager Adam Rusbridge says in the new episode of The Trust Files, from Velvet and Biometric Update. But unauthenticated AI agents represent a trust gap in this new three-actor system, according to Rusbridge. He suggests the paradigm shift requires a universal trust layer to enable visibility and governance, which fortunately can be achieved by extending zero-trust identity foundations. It is an evolution, he says, not a revolution.

Jay Meier of FaceTec wants you to know that not all liveness detection is of the same pedigree. Testing is critical, so relying parties can know who to trust. Universal Wallet Infrastructure (UWI) is set to change the game for interoperability. And the VC guys? Maybe we don't need them in ten years, when biometrics and liveness do everything. A lively conversation between FaceTec's Chief Identity Technology Strategist and Biometric Update Managing Editor Chris Burt.   

The status quo, with personal data as the default currency for value exchange, underpins the free online services that are central to the way most people experience the internet. Empowering consumers may benefit businesses more than commonly thought, however, MyTerms Co-founder Kari McMullen suggests in the new episode of the Trust Files, from Velvet and Biometric Update.

OpenAge, the reusable age assurance system based on passkeys, launched in November of last year. Since then, it has garnered support from all sides of the debate, from Meta to the adult content industry to children's rights campaigners. In this episode, Julian Corbett, head of the OpenAge Initiative, explains how it spun out from compliance provider k-ID. 

The latest market forecast from Goode Intelligence focuses on biometric physical access control systems. Chief Analyst Alan Goode talks modalities, technological innovation and market opportunities with the Biometric Update Podcast.  

Access to technology is more commonly discussed than digital literacy when considering how inclusive technology is, Chloe Coleman of Vouchsafe points out in the latest episode of The Trust Files, from Velvet and Biometric Update. But digital literacy is also multi-faceted, and a generation encouraged to think everything should be a single click or scan away can struggle with practical requirements for digital access.

Onboarding users to corporate systems involves complexity beyond consumer applications, particularly for multinationals. Henry Balani of Encompass Group argues in a new episode of The Trust Files from Velvet and Biometric Update that while it may never be as painless as the best consumer verification experiences, but digital identity can make it better than the status quo.

Would you be comfortable knowing your life depended on a healthcare worker remembering a password? What if it was sixteen characters long, with letters, numbers and at least one symbol? On the latest episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, Imprivata's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sean Kelly discusses the company's new report on why passwordless technology matters in medicine.     

Vidos ID Co-founder Tim Boeckmann has good news about the future of an open and interoperable digital ID ecosystem; It is inevitable. He makes the argument that “Identity infrastructure cannot be ideological” in the latest episode of The Trust Files, from Velvet and Biometric Update.

The window to save the internet’s reputation is closing. That is the stark warning of Evin McMullen, CEO and co-founder of Privado ID and Billions Network, in episode two of The Trust Files, from Velvet and Biometric Update.

Hartley Thompson, the CEO of Microblink, discusses why the company has shifted its focus from document capture to the larger picture of trusted identity, as generative AI keeps making it harder to tell what's real from what's a deepfake. As an "Identity Intelligence OS company," Microblink aims to  orchestrate trust across the identity spectrum. 

Do we have a trust crisis? This is the central question of the inaugural episode of The Trust Files, a new series of short interviews introduced by Velvet and Biometric Update to provide snapshots of the digital trust landscape. Digital identity is only as valuable as it is trusted. The Trust Files explores how that trust can be achieved and maintained in the context of the rapidly evolving digital marketplace. In the first episode, Orchestrating Identity Chief Trust Officer David Rennie poses the big question facing not just the industry, but the whole digital world.

Software quality assurance testing consultancy KJR handled the technical and school testing for Australia's Age Assurance Technology Trial. In this episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, KJR director Andrew Hammond offers his insider's view on the trial, the country's social media view, and the many use cases for AI KJR is also testing.    Runtime: 00:29:55

Agentic AI is one of the top tech trends of 2025. In the final Biometric Update Podcast of the year, authID's VP of Operations Jeff Scheidel brings his years experience to the conversation. What can AI agents do? How can we make sure they're acting on behalf of real people? And what will the long term look like?     Runtime: 00:20:56

Should a UK digital identity be run by the government, or include private sector biometrics and digital ID vendors certified under the UK's trust framework? This special episode of the Biometric Update Podcast features a civil debate between David Crack, chair of the Association of Digital Verification Professionals (ADVP) and Alexander Iosad of the Tony Blair Institute.    Runtime: 01:01:27

Massive gaming platform Roblox is facing a wave of lawsuits that say its lax online safety measures let groomers and predators run amok. The platform has implemented facial age estimation from Persona for its chat feature. In this episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, Jake Parker, senior director of government relations at the Security Industry Association, discusses key safety and privacy considerations around FAE. 

Proof of age with digital ID has been one of the most hotly debated topics of 2025. Evin McMullen, CEO of Billions Network, has some thoughts about how certain big name companies are deploying methods that put privacy at risk. On the latest episode of the BU Podcast, Evin McMullen makes the case for Billions Network, ZKPs and minimal disclosure of data. 

The G-Knot Crypto Wallet uses finger vein biometrics for authentication, with a look like a robot hockey puck and sub-dermal near-infrared cameras. It's a nifty little device with big ambitions. On this episode of the Biometric Update podcast, I talk with Wes Kaplan, CEO of G-Knot, about the science behind the wallet, the company's plans to move into the digital identity space, and more.    Runtime: 00:23:55 

According to the Passkey Index, a benchmark from the FIDO Alliance, 93 percent of user accounts across member firms are now eligible for passkey sign-ins. Of those, 36 percent have enrolled a passkey. The trend is clear: passkeys have entered the mainstream, with companies like Amazon, Google, PayPal, TikTok and even Home Depot and Target putting their faith in passkeys. Is the Great Passwar between passwords and passkeys finally won? And what does winning actually look like? In the latest episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, Andrew Shikiar, CEO of the FIDO Alliance, reflects on how far passkeys have come, and where digital ID is going.    Runtime: 00:26:53

Passkeys keep coming. Rew Islam, head of product engineering and innovation at Dashlane, joins the BU Podcast to discuss the new Dashlane Passkey Power 20, a ranking of companies driving passkey adoption globally.    Runtime: 00:32:58

Andy Lulham, chief operating officer of UK age assurance provider Verifymy, has been watching closely as age assurance legislation around the globe has evolved. In the latest episode of the BU Podcast, hear his thoughts on VPNs, global standards, and how to stand out in an expanding market.  Runtime: 00:21:47

Age assurance is still causing a fuss around the globe, as online safety legislation takes effect and the age check sector comes into the public eye. Luciditi is one of the larger providers of age assurance in the UK. On this episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, Dan Johnson, Chief Product Officer of Luciditi, considers whether age verification might be the "catalytic use case" for digital ID.   

Reclaim Protocol specializes in verifying users' education, employment, and brand loyalty. It calls its system, which combines online behavior with zero-knowledge cryptography, proof of provenance. In this episode, CEO Madhavan Malolan discusses the company's strategy and plans for its future.    Run time: 00:24:52

The argument for digital credentials says that you can't lose them the same way you might lose a physical ID card. But you can still lose your mobile device. What you can't lose is your hand. In this episode, Handwave CEO Janis Stirna explores the possibilities in palm biometrics.     

Biometrics, payments and identity are triangulating. Texas-based biometrics firm Wink is banking on it. The company recently merged with the global payment technology and services provider Phoenix Managed Networks, increasing its reach in the U.S. payments space.  On the latest episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, Wink CEO Deepak Jain talks about why Wink made the move, and how it positions it in the global market.   Runtime: 00:24:00

From London to Brazil to New York, police forces are adopting facial recognition technology. They say it helps fight crime. Critics say it violates privacy and risks police overreach. The truth may be somewhere in the middle. On this episode of the BU Podcast, former UK Biometrics & Surveillance Commissioner, Professor Fraser Sampson, shares his thoughts on how law enforcement is using facial recognition, and what it means in a world already flooded with CCTV and cameras in every pocket.     Runtime: 00:39:35

Around the July 25 enforcement deadline for the UK's Online Safety Act and its age assurance requirements for adult content platforms, Yoti's digital identity wallet app took off on the App Store charts. CEO Robin Tombs sits down with the Biometric Update Podcast to reflect on the biggest month age verification has ever had. 

Vouched CEO Peter Horodan and Misha Polovneff of BHG Financial join the BU Podcast to discuss a recent Series A funding round that will see Vouched get 17 million dollars to tackle the growing issue of how to manage AI agents. With BU's managing editor Chris Burt, the duo discusses identity verification, synthetic identity fraud, and more.     Runtime: 37:05

Steve Pannifer of Fime labs says the December 2026 timeline for EU member states to provide wallets and digital aII to citizens is "aggressive." Sharing insights on testing, interoperability, the payments model and the key question of adoption, Steve offers a clear picture of where the EU stands in its digital journey.    Runtime: 00:28:39

IDV firm 1kosmos recently closed a $57 million Series B funding round led by Forgepoint Capital. Biometric Update Managing Editor Chris Burt sits down with 1kosmos CEO Hemen Vimadalal and Forgepoint's Ernie Bio to discuss the company's plans.    Runtime: 00:35:20

Socure has expanded its Risk OS platform to enable a host of options for age assurance. In this episode of the Biometric Update Podcast, the company's Chief Growth Officer Rivka Little offers insights on the rapidly changing age assurance landscape, including recent regulatory developments.  

Entrust has a new CEO in Tony Ball. But outgoing CEO Todd Wilkinson isn't done just yet. The two digital identity leaders join the Biometric Update Podcast to discuss the handing off of the baton, the changing nature of digital identity, and the opportunities to be found in digitizing citizen services. 

Alan Goode of Goode Intelligence walks us through his latest research on the booming IDV market, including insights on reusable ID, mobile driver's licenses and the technology building blocks of identity verification.    https://www.goodeintelligence.com/  https://www.biometricupdate.com/202506/identity-verification-to-surpass-20b-by-2030-amid-transition-to-reusable-digital-id https://www.goodeintelligence.com/report/identity-verification-idv-market-technology-analysis-forecasts-2025-2030/    Runtime: 00:19:08

It's the summer of age assurance. With major developments happening in the UK, EU, Australia and the U.S., age assurance is going mainstream. In this episode, we talk with Iain Corby, executive director of the Age Verification Providers Association, about what it all means for providers of age verification and age estimation services. 

Biometric Upadate editor-in-chief Chris Burt speaks with three representatives from the No Phone Home campaign, which is warning against the potential privacy risks in digital identity systems that use "phone home" or server retrieval methods.  

An interview with Humanity Protocol CEO Terence Kwok, who talks about the firm's recent acquisition of blockchain-based ticketing and access company, Moongate, and how to bring digital ID into more physical spaces.  

An interview with 1Password CEO Jeff Shiner, on the opportunities and risks of agentic AI - and a peek into how 1Password works with Formula 1 Racing on data security.