Electronic signature for banks and fintechs

A particularly regulated sector

Banks and fintechs handle documents subject to the strictest traceability and identification requirements on the market: account opening, credit, SEPA mandate, various authorisations. Electronic signature has become a standard there, with specific requirements regarding KYC.

Commonly signed documents

• Account opening (account agreement, terms and conditions)

• Credit offer (mortgage, consumer, professional)

• SEPA mandate (direct debit)

• Savings contracts (savings accounts, PEL, CEL)

• Online operations (transfer, RIB change, account closure)

• Banking powers of attorney

• Professional agreements (leasing, factoring)

Recommended level

• Account opening: AES minimum, often video KYC as a supplement

• Mortgage credit: AES mandatory, QES for certain notarial formalities

• SEPA mandate: SES may be sufficient, AES recommended

ACPR and AML-CFT compliance

Banks are subject to AML-CFT (anti-money laundering) regulations which impose enhanced KYC:

• identity document verification

• liveness test

• cross-checking with sanctions databases (PEP, EU, OFAC)

• retention of documents for 10 years

Electronic signature must integrate with the KYC journey without degrading the customer experience.

Benefits

• 100% online account opening in 10 minutes

• Credit approved quickly: offer signed within 24 hours instead of 2 weeks

• Reduction in operational costs: no registered mail, no physical filing

• Audit compliance: complete exportable traceability

Common mistakes

• Neglecting the liveness test in KYC

• Failing to archive identity documents in accordance with GDPR

• Using a non-EU platform for sensitive data

• Losing traceability when changing service providers

Concrete example: neo-bank

A neo-bank opens 500 accounts per day. 100% digital journey:

• Entry of personal information

• Upload identity document + proof of address

• Liveness test (dynamic selfie)

• Cross-checking with sanctions databases

• Signature of account agreement + SEPA mandate in AES

• Card sent within 48 hours

Average subscription time: 8 minutes. Abandonment rate: <15%.

How Certyneo helps you

Certyneo offers a solution for banks and fintechs: AES by default, complete video KYC integration (identity document OCR, liveness, sanctions), ACPR and AML-CFT compliance, 100% EU hosting without Cloud Act dependency, 10-year archiving, webhooks for IT system integration.

FAQ

Can a credit offer be signed with SES?

No, AES minimum. The Consumer Code requires strong identification.

Does the right to withdraw apply?

Yes, 14 days for consumer credit, 10 days for mortgage credit (from receipt of the offer).

Can minors open an account electronically?

With co-signature of the legal representative.

Retention period?

10 years for banking documents, 30 years for certain deeds.

Does the signature protect against fraud?

It significantly reduces risks through strong authentication, without eliminating them. Vigilance against fraud (phishing, KYC deepfakes) remains necessary.

Conclusion

Electronic signature is a pillar of digital banking: rapid onboarding, seamless KYC, native ACPR compliance. Banks that master it dominate customer acquisition.

Try Certyneo to send, sign and track your documents online simply, quickly and securely.