Australian Payments Plus (AP+) has announced the launch of ConnectID for Australia's businesses and consumers aiming to reduce fraud and identity theft. AP+ developed ConnectID to allow individuals to securely verify their identity to third parties without needing to repeatedly share unnecessary data about themselves.

With the solution, consumers can request a participating business to verify their information using organisations they already trust with their data, such as their bank, instead of providing proof of identity documents. ConnectID’s objective Currently, ConnectID is available to Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and National Australia Bank (NAB) customers, with industry support from other strategic partners including Westpac and ANZ. The solution does not visualise or store personal information, as it only acts as a bridge between an organisation that wants to verify someone’s identity and the business providing that verification.

In order for this to happen, the individual needs to authorise the verification, meaning that ConnectID combines the convenience of real-time identity verification with security and consent. Furthermore, with ConnectID, businesses can provide their customers with a simple and secure verification process, eliminating the need to over-collect and store personal data. Organisations across industry sectors can offer ConnectID as a method of safely verifying the identity of their customers. Some of them include Referoo, Crendexia, ServiceSeeking, OnePassport, RentBetter, and Shaype, among others. According to officials, the new service aims to help customers reduce oversharing of their data, offering them increased control over what information is being shared and used, as well as choice over which organisations they trust to store their personal data.

Also, from a business perspective, the ability to collect only what is required results in enhanced compliance with current legislation and a reduction in risk profile. NAB representatives stated that the launch of ConnectID supports both their customers and the wider community in advancing their journey towards a digital life more securely, while also supporting the growth in the Australian digital economy. More information about AP+ and ConnectID AP+ was created from the merger of Australia’s domestic payments companies BPAY Group, eftpos, and NPP Australia, aiming to deliver improved services and innovation to the region’s payments ecosystem. The consolidation was authorised by the ACCC in September 2021, with the transaction being completed in early 2022. Supported by multiple major banks, ConnectID was one of the first non-government operators of a digital identity exchange to be accredited under the Australian Government’s Trusted Digital Identity Framework (TDIF) which sets standards, rules, and guidelines based on international best practices.

AP+ aims to solidify ConnectID’s role in the Australian digital identity ecosystem and to bring together both the government and non-government sectors in a solution that helps protect consumers’ data. .