Belgian itsme®: What Are the Benefits?

itsme® is a digital identity solution developed collaboratively by major banks and telecom providers in Belgium. It’s a secure and user-friendly way for people to verify their identity online and perform digital transactions, all through a single mobile application.

itsme® is Belgium’s most popular app and is also available to users in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Anyone can enroll, as long as they have a:

• Belgian eID or a bank account
• Dutch eID or passport (with NFC)
• Luxembourg eID (with NFC)

In other words, you’ll need a Benelux eID, but you don’t have to be a citizen of a Benelux country to enroll. More than 6.7 million people in Belgium alone have an active itsme® account, and we can expect this number to grow further.

Seamless onboarding and multiple use cases 

The itsme® mobile application caters to four use cases:

• Registering  new online accounts
• Logging into existing accounts
• Confirming payments and other online transactions
• Signing digital documents

To get started, users go through a one-off registration process. Once onboarded, they can use the app to interact with businesses and government platforms.

A network of trust across sectors

More than 800 companies across different sectors offer authentication or digital signing with itsme®. This includes government and public services, banks, major insurance providers, HR companies, healthcare institutions, telecom providers, document signing platforms, real estate, and many others.

Emphasis on security and privacy

itsme® takes a robust approach to protecting user information. This includes:

• Multi-factor authentication: Each transaction involves a three-part verification process: the smartphone, the itsme® app, and a personalized itsme® code (or biometric verification).
  
  
• Data protection: Personal data is protected with advanced encryption both when stored and while in transit.
   
• Respect for privacy: itsme® maintains privacy through user consent and transparent data sharing. Finalizing a transaction requires explicit confirmation and the use of a personal code or biometric verification. itsme® partners commit to only request data that’s strictly necessary for their services.
  
  
• Compliance with European standards: itsme® adheres to European regulations on security and privacy. It is certified for eIDAS (EU electronic ID standards), ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified for the management of information security, and aligns with GDPR (EU privacy protection) regulations. 

Great user experience

The itsme® app has a user-centric design, making it easy and intuitive to use.

A user typically

• Initiates an action on an online platform
• Receives a notification in the itsme® app
• Confirms the transaction with a personal code or biometric authentication.

The user journey differs slightly between desktop and mobile.

On Desktop:

1. Click the itsme® button and enter your phone number.
2. Launch itsme® mobile app, which will present the relevant action card.
3. Review and confirm the action.
4. Complete the process by entering your itsme® code or providing biometrics. 

On Mobile: 

1. Click the itsme® button and the app will open automatically.
2. Review and confirm the action.
3. Complete the process by entering your itsme® code or providing biometrics. 

Here’s a video that demonstrates this seamless experience: