Banking identity in Europe

Blog Banking Identity in Europe

Banking identity in Europe

How does banking identity work in Europe and what are its uses? 

Finland

In Finland, the banking identity is not used directly under the name "banking identity". However, there are similar systems that allow digital identity verification and electronic communication with authorities and other institutions. Here is some information about these systems:

  1. Finnish ID card (Kansalaisen varmenne): the Finnish ID card is a digital identifier that allows access to online services in Finland. With this card, citizens can verify their identity and sign documents electronically. It is similar to a bank identity but is used for a wider range of services.
  1. Bank identification: Finnish banks also offer various forms of electronic identification that allow customers to access internet banking and other financial services. These systems are often linked to a Finnish ID card.
  1. eGovernment: in Finland, there are a number of online services provided by the state that require identity verification. Citizens can use various methods, including the Finnish ID card, to access these services.

Overall, electronic identification is common in Finland and is used for various purposes, including banking and eGovernment. Precise statistics on the number of users are not available, but the systems are well established and used by citizens and institutions.

Czech Republic

Bank Identity is also known as Bank iD in the Czech Republic. It is a digital identifier that allows citizens in the Czech Republic to be uniquely identified. This system is used for authorised electronic communication with authorities, banks, insurance companies, telecommunications companies and other commercial service providers. It is the most widely used method of electronic identification in the Czech Republic. 

The number of users reached 4 million people in 2023, who made 15 million transactions on government portals and 4 million transactions at companies and institutions in 2023. 

Bank iD allows access to eGovernment services using Internet banking credentials. The adult population of the Czech Republic uses internet banking and thus has easy access to officially stored data and information.
Banking identity is thus a key tool for the modern digital world, facilitating communication and ensuring security in online transactions. 

Germany 

In Germany, bank identity is not commonly used directly to access public government services. The German digital identity system for public services has its own specific features. 

In Germany, a citizen can use an electronic ID card (elektronischer Personalausweis) to access certain public services electronically. This electronic identity card contains a chip with certificates that allow electronic verification of identity. Citizens can also use a service called 'Bürgerkonto' (citizen's account), which allows them to log in to various online public services using a single login account. 

Germany also participates in the European initiative called "eIDAS" (electronic identification and trust services), which seeks to harmonise digital identities and electronic services across the European Union. At the same time, Germany has the so-called "Onlinezugangsgesetz" (Online Access Act), which regulates electronic access to public services. 

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