Acquisition, investment in biometrics add layers for financial services compliance
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# Acquisition, investment in biometrics add layers for financial services compliance
Deals between SmartSearch and Credas, OneSpan and ThreatFabric announced
Oct 7, 2025, 4:19 pm EDT | Chris Burt
Categories Biometrics News | Financial Services | Trade Notes
Fraud detection technology providers are joining forces to layer biometrics and other digital defenses as protection against emerging and sophisticated threats to financial services. A consolidation in the UK market and a U.S. company investing in a European one are among the latest examples.
## SmartSearch acquires Credas
Anti-money laundering and compliance specialist SmartSearch has acquired legal and property sector identity verification provider Credas to expand its product portfolio and market reach.
SmartSearch will integrate Credas’ brand and specialized technology, which includes comparisons of ID documents and selfie biometrics for identity proofing. The latest major addition to Credas’ product portfolio is a digital wallet launched in July.
The combination will result in further innovation, enhanced customer experiences, and spur continued growth in increasingly regulated markets, according to the announcement.
“Regulated firms are under pressure to meet rising KYC and AML demands while delivering seamless onboarding,” SmartSearch CEO Phil Cotter says in the announcement. “By joining forces with Credas, we combine our strengths to deliver unmatched innovation and service. Our clients will see immediate benefits as we continue to set the standard for digital compliance.”
SmartSearch Chief Transformation Officer Collette Smith reviewed the key regulatory trends of 2025 in a guest post for _Biometric Update_ in March.
SmartSearch has more than 7,500 clients, and claims 31 percent year-over-year growth since 2013. Triple Private Equity took a majority stake in the company with an investment in 2024. Credas has about 1,000, but those are almost all in the legal and property sectors.
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