Plumery and Smile ID Partner to Power Secure, Scalable Digital Banking in Africa

Plumery, a provider of digital banking experience systems, has partnered with Smile ID, Africa’s leading digital identity verification provider, to help financial institutions accelerate digital transformation while ensuring secure customer authentication. Through this partnership banks, fintechs, and other financial institutions can seamlessly integrate Plumery’s API-first digital banking platform with Smile ID’s identity verification and fraud prevention tools. This collaboration enables institutions to reduce implementation costs, strengthen authentication processes, and deliver seamless, secure digital banking experiences for their customers.

African financial institutions face two critical challenges. First, traditional banking systems are costly and difficult to customise. Plumery’s developer-first banking experience layer enables institutions to create tailored user experiences while significantly reducing total ownership costs.

Second, fraud at the authentication stage is on the rise. A 2024 analysis of 110 million identity checks revealed that fraud attempts during authentication were four times higher than at registration. While many financial institutions prioritise KYC compliance, weak authentication leaves them vulnerable to account takeovers. Smile ID’s advanced identity verification and authentication technology helps prevent fraud at both the login and transaction levels, ensuring stronger security throughout the customer journey.

By integrating Plumery’s flexible digital banking system with Smile ID’s advanced authentication technology, financial institutions can enhance security while maintaining a seamless user experience. Traditional security measures often introduce friction, leading to customer drop-offs and dissatisfaction. However, this partnership ensures that robust identity verification and fraud prevention are seamlessly embedded into the digital banking journey, reducing risk without compromising agility or ease of use.

With Plumery’s API-driven infrastructure, banks and fintechs can rapidly customise and scale their digital banking experiences, adapting to evolving customer needs. At the same time, Smile ID’s biometric authentication and AI-powered fraud detection provide real-time security at login, transaction, and account recovery stages. This integrated approach streamlines compliance, reduces fraud, and fosters trust, empowering financial institutions to deliver secure, user-friendly, and scalable digital banking solutions.

Dustin Strydom, VP of Commercial, Smile ID commented, “Our partnership with Plumery represents a pivotal moment in our mission to drive digital transformation and enhance financial security across Africa. By integrating Plumery’s digital banking platform with Smile ID’s advanced authentication technology we are building a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and delivering scalable solutions that empower financial institutions in Africa to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”

Ben Goldin, Founder & CEO, Plumery, “At Plumery, our mission is to empower financial institutions worldwide to deliver meaningful and seamless experiences to their clients. This begins with a fast, frictionless onboarding process. Our partnership with Smile ID is a crucial step in supporting both current and future customers in the region, ensuring secure, efficient, and scalable digital banking solutions.”

To learn more about transforming digital banking in Africa please join Smile ID and Plumery’s webinar on March 6th by registering here.