Ping Identity to acquire Keyless, boosting privacy in biometrics

Ping Identity has announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire London-based Keyless, a provider of privacy-preserving biometric authentication technology, subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

The acquisition intends to bring Keyless’ Zero-Knowledge Biometrics technology to Ping Identity’s platform, enabling enterprises to strengthen their defences against fraud and artificial intelligence-driven impersonation while improving user privacy across digital experiences.

Technology and deployment

Keyless deploys cryptographic techniques so that biometric information is never stored in a retrievable form, either on devices or in the cloud. This approach means that the original biometric image cannot be reconstructed or linked back to the user, addressing privacy concerns associated with many traditional biometric technologies.

The technology enables user authentication with a glance at a camera, verifying both the user’s face and device against initial enrolment data. Unlike some solutions, it does not require a dedicated device, which supports deployment across diverse environments and user groups with minimal barriers. This feature is positioned to help organisations offer a privacy-centric experience without sacrificing security or increasing friction for users.

Leadership commentary

“In an era where trust is continuously tested, organisations must deliver digital experiences that are more secure, private, and effortless. By joining forces with Keyless, we aim to make privacy-preserving authentication as simple as a glance-building greater confidence into every digital interaction,” said Andre Durand, CEO and Founder of Ping Identity.

Andrea Carmignani, CEO and Co-Founder of Keyless, highlighted the importance of trust throughout the lifecycle of digital identity:

“Trust lies at the heart of every digital relationship. This acquisition will help to embed trust throughout the identity journey-from verification to authentication to authorisation-and reflects our shared commitment to a more secure, seamless, and private world.”

Planned integration

Following the anticipated completion of the transaction, Ping Identity aims to integrate Keyless’ biometric authentication into its platform. This integration is designed to work seamlessly across devices, channels, and applications, supporting customer identity and access management (CIAM), workforce, and business-to-business scenarios. The goal is to offer secure, passwordless access for frontline, shared terminal, and manufacturing environments.

The companies have outlined Keyless’ technology benefits, which include protection against account takeover fraud while enabling fast, self-service user experiences. It supports employees with passwordless multifactor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO), delivers biometric authentication and deepfake detection for frontline and mobile workers with sub-300ms performance, and safeguards key moments such as account opening and recovery with secure passwordless workflows. The technology is also designed to help organisations comply with global privacy regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and PSD3.