2025 is poised to be a defining year for digital identity. iProov, a science-based biometric identity solutions provider,  has unveiled its predictions on how individuals and businesses will navigate trust and security online. From emerging authentication methods to fraudsters’ evolving tactics, these predictions will offer crucial insights into the dynamic forces shaping the future of digital identity verification, authentication, and fraud prevention. Stay tuned for a glimpse into what lies ahead! 

1. 2025: The Year Deepfakes Breaks the News?

Deepfakes will pose a significant threat to the integrity of news and media. A major broadcaster will admit that a recent interview featured a deepfake, which will spark widespread concern about the impact of AI-generated media on journalism and information integrity. Such will be the shockwaves that we will see calls for new content attribution technologies and stronger media literacy initiatives. The incident will serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced in the age of deepfakes and the need to safeguard information integrity.

2. Biometric Borders Go Global: Say Goodbye to Lines, Hello to Secure, Seamless Travel

The use of facial verification at border crossings will spread rapidly, speeding up passenger processing and enhancing security. Programs like Eurostar’s SmartCheck biometric system are already paving the way, allowing travelers to verify their identity with a simple glance or scan. Automated systems will optimize passenger flow, reduce congestion, and slash wait times while dramatically reducing the load on border officials. Privacy will be prioritized, with travelers opting in and data protected by decentralized identity technologies. This shift will usher in a new era of seamless and secure travel, making it easier for people to connect and explore the world with confidence.

3. The Deepfake CEO: Identity Verification Becomes Mission-Critical for Market Trust

A deepfake of a Fortune 500 CEO will cause significant disruption in the financial markets. The fabricated video, announcing a false merger, will trigger a temporary market dip and erode investor confidence before being exposed. This incident will highlight the growing need for robust identity verification solutions to ensure the authenticity of information and maintain trust in an increasingly digital world.

Companies and investors will respond by prioritizing biometric authentication, investing in deepfake digital injection protection tools, enhancing communication protocols, and putting a strong focus on digital identity verification in all online interactions to prevent impersonation and fraud.

This incident will serve as a catalyst, accelerating the adoption of advanced identity verification solutions in the financial industry. 

4. The Great Deepfake Hiring Heist: Organizations Fall Prey to a Mass Synthetic Identity Attack

Remember earlier this year when KnowBe4 fell victim to a remote deepfake hiring scam using a synthetic identity? In 2025, a far larger synthetic identity operation will infiltrate organizations worldwide. A state adversary will combine deepfakes with fabricated credentials to create entirely new, convincing employee personas, bypassing security to gain access, steal data, and cause operational chaos with significant financial losses. This sophisticated scheme will exploit remote onboarding processes, manipulate employees, and even infiltrate payroll systems to divert funds and disrupt livelihoods. This incident will cause organizations to change how they approach identity verification and cybersecurity in the age of increasingly sophisticated synthetic identities.

5. The EU Identity Wallet: Unanswered Questions and Looming Challenges

As the EU Identity Wallet progresses to its planned roll-out in 2026, expect heated debates around its business model and liability framework. Who will shoulder the development, maintenance, and service provision costs – governments, private companies, or users themselves? Imagine a scenario where a compromised process leads to fraud on a mass scale – who will be held responsible and how will victims be compensated? These questions are critical and must be addressed. Will wallet providers find ways to charge citizens, potentially excluding groups in the population? Will businesses face hefty fees for usage, stifling innovation? And if system failures disrupt essential services, who will bear the cost? The EU must strike a delicate balance: fostering a competitive market for wallet providers while ensuring accessibility, security, and a robust legal framework to address these complex issues. The answers will determine not only the wallet’s success but its impact on the digital economy and society as a whole.

6. Oversharing Parents Render Security Questions Obsolete: ‘First Pet’ No Longer a Secret

By the end of 2025, the ubiquitous practice of “sharenting” – parents excessively sharing their children’s information online – will render traditional knowledge-based authentication security questions like “What is the name of your first pet?” utterly useless. With parents readily divulging these personal details on social media, fraudsters will have a field day exploiting this readily available information to bypass security measures and compromise accounts.

While seemingly innocuous, these details can be exploited by malicious actors, jeopardizing online security. This will force a shift towards more robust authentication methods, like facial biometrics with liveness combined with other forms of multi-factor authentication, to safeguard accounts from increasingly sophisticated social engineering attacks.

7. Big Tech Eclipses Governments: Meta, Mercado Libre, and Globant Become Digital Identity Gatekeepers

Tech giants like Meta, Mercado Libre, and Globant will begin to wield more influence over digital identity than many governments. Their massive user bases and advanced technologies will position them as de facto identity authorities, controlling access to online services. This could enhance convenience and security but also erode government control and raise privacy concerns, highlighting the growing power of Big Tech in shaping the future of digital identity.

8. Governments Race to Digital ID: 2025 – The Year of the National Identity App

Driven by security threats and the demand for seamless online services, 2025 will see a global surge in government-issued digital ID programs. Countries will accelerate efforts to deploy national digital ID systems, putting secure digital identities in citizens’ hands. This shift, fueled by the limitations of physical documents and the need for stronger cybersecurity, will pave the way for a more secure and inclusive digital future.

9. Data Privacy Takes Center Stage: Selective Disclosure Drives Verifiable Credentials Boom

The growing demand for data privacy and user control will fuel a surge in the adoption of decentralized identities. Empowered by the ability to selectively disclose only the necessary information, individuals will embrace this technology to seamlessly and securely prove their identity or attributes without revealing their entire personal profile. This rise in the use of decentralized digital credentials will empower individuals to confidently navigate the digital world while safeguarding their privacy. It will also create new opportunities for businesses and public bodies to build trust and offer personalized services without running the risk of compromising user data.

10. Deepfake Fraud Wave Forces Banks’ Hand: Regulators Mandate New Biometric Payment Authentication

As deepfake technology becomes increasingly weaponized by hostile state actors and criminals in 2025, a wave of account takeovers and fraudulent transactions will force banking regulators worldwide to take decisive action. Led by pioneers like Thailand and Vietnam, countries will mandate the implementation of biometric verification for payment authentication, adding an extra layer of security to protect customers and financial institutions.

This move towards mandated biometric payment authentication will significantly enhance the security of digital transactions, making it more difficult for fraudsters to exploit stolen identities or manipulate systems. It will also accelerate the adoption of biometrics in the financial sector, paving the way for more secure and trustworthy digital banking experiences.