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Ektar Technologies: Industry demand for silent network authentication for digital banking

Banks across the GCC and Asia are calling on mobile operators to enable silent, network-based authentication and fraud prevention through standardised Network APIs.

About enterprise API demands

Digital banking fraud is escalating globally, while regulators are introducing stricter requirements for stronger customer authentication and fraud prevention. As banks move away from SMS one-time passwords (OTPs), they need trusted, real-time network intelligence that can strengthen security without adding friction to the customer experience.

Ektar Technologies is addressing this challenge through its ekShield Trust Suite, which integrates network intelligence into every stage of the digital banking journey from customer onboarding and login to payment authorisation, account recovery and continuous fraud monitoring.

Already live with one of the UAE’s largest banks and expanding across the GCC and Asia, Ektar is calling on mobile operators to accelerate the commercial availability of GSMA Open Gateway Network APIs. These APIs provide real-time, operator-verified signals that enable banks to silently verify customers, detect fraud before transactions are completed and strengthen digital trust at scale.

By exposing APIs such as Number Verification, SIM Swap, Device Identifier, KYC Match and Location Verification, operators can help financial institutions replace reactive fraud investigations with proactive, real-time risk intelligence while creating new enterprise revenue opportunities.

The message is clear: mobile networks are evolving from connectivity providers into trusted digital identity and security infrastructure for the future of banking.

Problem

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Banks face rising fraud, stricter regulatory requirements and increasing pressure to replace SMS-based authentication with stronger, real-time security that protects customers without increasing friction.

Solution

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Standardised Network APIs provide silent, operator-verified identity and device intelligence that strengthens authentication, detects fraud in real time and enables continuous risk assessment across every banking interaction.

API service

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Number Verification V2, SIM Swap, Device Identifier, KYC Match and Location Verification APIs supporting customer onboarding, authentication, transaction risk assessment, account recovery and continuous fraud monitoring.

Impact

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Stronger fraud prevention, improved customer verification, seamless digital banking experiences, regulatory compliance, reduced authentication costs and new enterprise API monetisation opportunities for mobile network operators.

More information

What is the Ektar Technologies market demand statement?

Ektar Technologies is calling on mobile operators to accelerate the commercial deployment of standardised Network APIs that enable silent authentication, trusted identity verification and real-time fraud prevention for banks across the GCC and Asia.

Why should mobile operators act now?

Regulators across key markets, including the UAE and India, are mandating stronger authentication, while banks are actively seeking network-based security solutions. Operators have an immediate opportunity to become trusted digital security partners and unlock new enterprise revenue streams.

How does GSMA Fusion help?

GSMA Fusion and GSMA Open Gateway provide a standardised framework for exposing interoperable Network APIs, enabling banks, operators and technology providers to deploy secure, scalable fraud prevention solutions consistently across markets.

Market snapshot

Global fraud losses exceeded US$1 trillion in 2024, with digital banking fraud continuing to accelerate.

UAE regulators require banks to eliminate SMS OTP authentication by March 2026, while India has introduced similar requirements for stronger transaction authentication.

Ektar’s ekShield platform is already live with one of the UAE’s largest banks and expanding across the GCC and Asia.

Network APIs enable silent authentication and real-time fraud prevention across customer onboarding, login, payments and account management.

Standardised GSMA Open Gateway APIs create new enterprise revenue opportunities for operators while strengthening trust across digital financial services.

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Partners

This initiative is supported by:

Download the full Statement of Requirements

Ektar Statement of Requirements