Opening a bank account online | BW-Bank
To open a bank account or a deposit account, banks are required to carry out an identity check to establish a person’s identity. Anyone who wants to open an account online must also undergo an online identity check. At BW-Bank, this has been possible since 2020 not only via video identity between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., but 24/7 thanks to AUTHADA ident and the eID function of the ID card.


The challenge
Opening a bank account online
Video identification was previously the only alternative for BW-Bank customers to go through the bank’s identification check outside the branch. However, this option does not appeal to all customers, as not everyone wants to show themselves and their ID to a stranger in a video call. In addition, waiting times have to be accepted if many people want to make a video identification at the same time. In addition to these disadvantages for customers, the provision of the Videoident procedure means extensive forecasts for the bank. However, it is difficult to forecast how many people will want to close an account online. This means high costs – both due to bouncing customers who do not complete the verification of identity due to the Videoident procedure, as well as due to the costs for video identification overall.

The AUTHADA solution in operation
Opening a bank account online quick & easy
Thanks to AUTHADA ident, customers can also carry out the bank’s legitimation check independently of the “opening hours” of the video identification provider. A video call and communication with another person is no longer necessary. All that is needed for opening opening a bank account online is a smartphone, the ID card and the corresponding PIN. In less than three minutes, the online identification is completed – without any waiting time at all. In addition to the many advantages for customers, BW-Bank has another advantage with AUTHADA ident: the legitimation check using the eID function is half the price of the average videoident procedure. Forecasts for account closings in the future are also no longer necessary.
BW-Bank users start their identification here © BW-Bank
Ronald Kuhnt, Product Manager Credit Cards at BW-Bank:
>>We want to make the application processes for our new customers comfortable but also legally compliant and rely on the AUTHADA application. Thanks to the fully digital and case-closing implementation, applications can be decided immediately without any annoying media discontinuity.<<
Customized-Integration of ident
“Customized” variant: Our app & customer website
For the integration of the AUTHADA solution ident, BW-Bank decided on our “Customised” integration variant. Customers start the identification process on the BW-Bank website. Here they are shown a QR code or ident code, which they scan or enter with the AUTHADA app on their smartphone. The identification process is completed in less than one minute! Low effort and individual website design.
More integration possibilities
Individual and suitable for your needs
AUTHADA offers ident other integration variants for the integration of the identification solution. With the “Easy” variant, customers are redirected from their provider’s website to the AUTHADA identification website and can carry out the identification with the help of this and the AUTHADA app. In the “SDK” variant, our solution is fully integrated into the company’s website and app. AUTHADA’s technical solution runs in the background.
Integrationsvariante “Easy”
Integrationsvariante “SDK”
Further customer Projects: AUTHADA solutions in use
Make provisions for emergencies and provide clarity for relatives: This is possible digitally and legally compliant with Afilio. The pension platform offers individuals, couples and families the opportunity to record their wishes in the event of an emergency. Since 2024, the company has relied on AUTHADA's digital signature to ensure that precautionary documents are always available at any time and any place.
comdirect, one of the most established online banks in Germany, has been offering online identification from AUTHADA since 2018. This has made it even easier for customers to open a comdirect account. comdirect was the first direct bank to use AUTHADA ident in the SDK integration version to open a custody account.
To open a bank account or a deposit account, banks are required to carry out an identity check to establish a person's identity. Anyone who wants to open an account online must also undergo an online identity check. At BW-Bank, this has been possible since 2020 not only via video identity between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., but 24/7 thanks to AUTHADA ident and the eID function of the ID card.