Onfido Technology Intelligence

What is Onfido?

Onfido is an AI-powered identity verification platform that helps businesses verify that their users are who they claim to be. The platform analyzes government-issued identity documents and biometric data to detect fraud and enable secure onboarding for financial services, gig economy platforms, and other regulated industries.

Founded in 2012 in London, Onfido has become a leading provider of digital identity verification. The company uses machine learning to analyze over 2,500 types of identity documents from 195 countries. By comparing document photos with selfies and performing liveness detection, Onfido helps businesses meet KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) regulatory requirements while reducing friction for legitimate users.

Key Features

Document Verification

• Document Capture: SDK guides users to capture high-quality photos of IDs
• Document Analysis: AI examines security features, fonts, and formatting
• Fraud Detection: Identifies tampering, photocopies, and digitally altered documents
• Data Extraction: OCR extracts name, date of birth, address, and document numbers
• Global Coverage: Supports passports, driver's licenses, and national IDs from 195 countries

Biometric Verification

• Facial Similarity: Compares document photo with user selfie
• Liveness Detection: Confirms a real person is present, not a photo or video
• Motion Analysis: Passive liveness through natural movement patterns
• Known Faces: Checks against database of previously rejected identities

Onfido Studio

No-code workflow builder for creating custom verification flows. Different user journeys can require different verification levels based on risk assessment.

Reporting and Analytics

Dashboard showing verification volumes, pass rates, fraud patterns, and processing times. Detailed reports for compliance audits.

Use Cases

Financial Services

Banks and fintech companies use Onfido for account opening, meeting regulatory KYC requirements. Digital banks can onboard customers remotely without branch visits while maintaining compliance with financial regulations across jurisdictions.

Cryptocurrency Exchanges

Crypto platforms verify user identities to comply with AML regulations. Onfido's global document coverage supports exchanges operating across multiple countries with varying regulatory requirements.

Gig Economy Platforms

Ride-sharing, delivery, and freelance platforms verify driver and worker identities. Background checks combined with identity verification ensure platform safety and regulatory compliance.

Gaming and Gambling

Online gaming platforms verify age and identity to comply with gambling regulations. Onfido helps prevent underage gambling while meeting jurisdictional licensing requirements.

Healthcare

Telemedicine platforms verify patient identity before consultations. Prescription delivery services ensure medications reach verified recipients.

Marketplaces

Peer-to-peer marketplaces verify seller identities to build trust and reduce fraud. Rental platforms verify both guests and hosts.

Implementation Examples

Web SDK Integration

<!-- Include Onfido Web SDK -->
<script src="https://assets.onfido.com/web-sdk-releases/latest/onfido.min.js"></script>
<link href="https://assets.onfido.com/web-sdk-releases/latest/style.css" rel="stylesheet">

<script>
Onfido.init({
    token: 'YOUR_SDK_TOKEN',
    containerId: 'onfido-mount',
    steps: [
        'welcome',
        'document',
        'face',
        'complete'
    ],
    onComplete: function(data) {
        console.log('Verification complete', data);
        // Submit check to your backend
        submitVerificationCheck(data);
    }
});
</script>

Backend: Create SDK Token (PHP)

// Generate SDK token for frontend
$ch = curl_init('https://api.onfido.com/v3.6/sdk_token');
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_POST => true,
    CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
        'applicant_id' => $applicantId,
        'referrer' => 'https://yourdomain.com/*'
    ]),
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
        'Authorization: Token token=' . $apiToken,
        'Content-Type: application/json'
    ],
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true
]);
$response = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);
$sdkToken = $response['token'];

Create Verification Check

// Submit check after SDK completion
$checkData = [
    'applicant_id' => $applicantId,
    'report_names' => ['document', 'facial_similarity_photo']
];

$ch = curl_init('https://api.onfido.com/v3.6/checks');
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_POST => true,
    CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode($checkData),
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
        'Authorization: Token token=' . $apiToken,
        'Content-Type: application/json'
    ],
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true
]);
$check = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);

Webhook Handler

// Handle Onfido webhook callbacks
$payload = json_decode(file_get_contents('php://input'), true);

if ($payload['payload']['action'] === 'check.completed') {
    $checkId = $payload['payload']['object']['id'];
    $result = $payload['payload']['object']['result'];

    if ($result === 'clear') {
        approveUser($checkId);
    } else {
        flagForReview($checkId);
    }
}

Benefits and Compliance

Key Benefits

• Regulatory Compliance: Meets KYC/AML requirements across jurisdictions
• Fraud Prevention: AI detects sophisticated document fraud and identity theft
• User Experience: Mobile-first SDKs create smooth onboarding flows
• Global Coverage: Single integration covers 195 countries
• Fast Processing: Most checks complete in under a minute
• Scalability: Handles verification spikes during growth periods

Compliance Certifications

• SOC 2 Type II certified
• ISO 27001 certified
• GDPR compliant with data processing agreements
• iBeta PAD Level 1 and 2 liveness certification

Pricing Model

Onfido charges per verification check, with pricing varying by verification type (document only, document + biometric, watchlist screening). Volume discounts available for high-throughput customers.

Alternatives

Other identity verification providers include Jumio, Veriff, Trulioo, and Persona. Selection depends on geographic coverage needs, integration requirements, pricing structure, and specific compliance certifications required by your industry.