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Financial Inclusion and the Potential of Video KYC

Financial inclusion has always been at the heart of India’s economic policy and with the introduction of Video KYC across sectors, we have come one step closer to achieving this very feat. Video-based remote KYC has paved the way for underbanked and unbanked areas in an attempt to provide equal financial access to all. Financial inclusion makes it easy for SMEs, millennials, professionals, entrepreneurs and others to apply for and receive loans, credit cards, and buy insurance policies, now more than ever, with easy Video KYC verification and completion of tedious procedures in minutes.

Video KYC is especially key to tier 2 and tier 3 cities where bank branches are far and few, but essential banking services remain more imperative. Kwik.ID is designed to ensure that our Video KYC tool reaches even the farthest of rural areas with provisions for a low bandwidth mode and a guided step-by-step processes; all of which we believe bridge the gap between customers and businesses, all across India.

Since its launch, the potential of Video KYC has been immense, and with the lockdown, the market for Video KYC vendors continues to flourish. So far, people stuck indoors resorted to online payments via different avenues, but what about those who didn’t have a bank account? Going physically to the bank and submitting documents was risky because it involved close contact. Luckily for us, just prior to the lockdown, Video based KYC was introduced and adopted by different sectors for opening bank accounts, demat accounts, Forex, online wallets and more, which made business much smoother for many.

In the most recent circular issued by the IRDAI, the regulatory board also permits Video KYC for insurance companies, which proves to be a game-changing move for the sector that for so long, suffered from the lack of customers during the lockdown.

With the introduction of Video KYC for Banks and Aadhar-based KYC, lenders now have access to customer data, with their consent. As per RBI guidelines, banks need to update the KYC details periodically to maintain a record of their account holders. In addition to Video KYC processes carried out while opening an account, account holders are requested to go through a re-KYC and submit the necessary documents, albeit online.

Video KYC proves to be a boon for fin-tech companies too, because owing to the limited manual KYC centers, very few customers thought of tech finance as a viable option, as the process wasn’t streamlined online. There was a 40% drop in manual KYC as compared to digital KYC. Being entirely online, features like OCR, Facematch, Liveliness detection, Geo-tagging are of great use to fintech companies, especially start-ups who want to minimize cost. These features validate the evidence and also rectify inconsistent data, thereby eliminating discrepancies and saving time.

Slowly and steadily, Video KYC has seeped into every sector and every industry, be it finance or otherwise. Digital KYC hasn’t just digitized the process, but accelerated it, as well. The entire process from application to disbursal that would once take up to 10 days, now takes barely a few hours.

India’s powerful digital ecosystem coupled with the potential Video KYC can unleash, are key to the country’s economic progress by driving financial inclusion.

Video KYC -The ‘New Normal’ across Industries

With social distancing becoming the new normal and businesses going completely online, Digital KYC is now at the forefront to onboard customers instantly, while keeping a check on their records and doing what’s best for business.

Having adopted the best video KYC tools available for their business, both financial as well as non-financial companies find it a boon that lets their business move swiftly. With features like OCR, Facematch, geo-tagging, fraud detection, functioning Video KYC at low bandwidth, Video recording and more, businesses are quickly moving to digital KYC. Here’s a look at how this much-needed tool works, or will work across various sectors.

Banking, Financial Services and Insurance

Banks: For every customer who opens an account with a bank, whether demat, current, savings, or any other, RBI mandates a digital KYC for onboarding the customer. Using Video KYC verification helps banks keep a record of each and every customer via their Aadhaar Card, and link it to the corresponding bank account to track transactions. In order to update customer details regularly, banks also use Video KYC for Re-KYC which makes the entire process much simpler and quicker.

Asset Management Companies: For all Asset Management Companies regulated by the SEBI, Video based KYC identification offers full KYC to minimise the risk of money laundering. The authentication process is swift, precise, and paperless, leading to a reduction in costs as well as onboarding time. AMCs have now started using Video KYC not only for individuals but while onboarding SMEs and other larger enterprises too.

Insurance: Video KYC’s Liveliness Detection, Facematch and personal discussion features, like the ones offered by Kwik.ID are salient for insurance companies where fraud is more likely. These features enhance the experience for clients and reduce digital risk for companies.

Lending: SMEs and Fintechs choose to use Video KYC verification for lending processes to make quick and informed decisions, while also making the lending process faster and smoother for the borrower. Many NBFCs use digital KYC for individual lending too.

Wallets: Online wallets are quickly becoming the top video KYC users. All this while, customers were asked to adopt the traditional means of submitting their Aadhaar manually at a centre. But with Video KYC in the picture, e-wallet onboarding can be done in less than 3 minutes from the comfort of your home.

Non-Financial institutions

Employee Onboarding: For large organisations, especially those with over a 100 employees, choosing the best Video KYC tool is the smartest way to store employee data, so as to transfer salaries and EPF and safeguard the interests of the company incase of any fraud.

Online Alcohol Delivery: With online alcohol delivery becoming the ‘new normal’, sellers have to be extremely cautious that the alcohol isn’t reaching the wrong hands. Here’s where Digital KYC comes into play. Right from age-restriction checks, geo-fencing, and address verification, KYC – platforms like KwikI.D are designed for Regulated Entities, thereby adapting themselves to simpler customer onboarding.

Telecom industry: Something that we’ve all witnessed is getting authenticated via KYC while being issued a new SIM card. With the shift in selling SIM cards online, network providers are gradually moving towards Video KYC for contactless and quick verification.

Rental/shared vehicle economy: While customers have to opt for Video KYC verification to add money to their wallets, transport apps have to go through it too, to register themselves and keep their accounts operational.

Co-working spaces: As entrepreneurs and businessmen have begun investing heavily in co-working spaces, their safety becomes a matter of concern for the property owner. The easiest way to keep a record of all the employees is via a video based KYC identification.

Educational platforms & exams: While this seems to be in the making, with the pandemic, it won’t be long before schools and colleges use Digital KYC to enrol students, especially for competitive exams where cheating is rampant.

Gaming: Gaming is one of the largest sectors that witness cybersecurity and fraud because there’s plenty of money involved that can be easily tampered with. Luckily, because of Video KYC’s AI integrated Facematch Liveliness and fraud detection tools, like the ones we offer, make it easier to detect and shut down these fraudsters.

At Kwik.ID, we understand the importance of security and the need to constantly evolve, especially while doing business online. As leading video KYC solution providers, we aspire to facilitate easy digital KYC across every sector, big or small.