UN Pension Fund Speeds Payments for 80,000 Beneficiaries as Biometric App Cuts Fraud
Updated
Updated · Biometric Update · Sep 7
UN Pension Fund Speeds Payments for 80,000 Beneficiaries as Biometric App Cuts Fraud
1 articles · Updated · Biometric Update · Sep 7
Summary
More than 80,000 UNJSPF beneficiaries in 190 countries are receiving pensions faster after the fund shifted proof-of-life checks from paper mail to a face-authentication app.
Adoption of the system, launched in 2021, rose from about 20% initially to 60% last year and has increased further despite a user base with an average age above 70.
The app stores verification records on blockchain without personal data, keeps biometrics on users’ devices, and adds geolocation plus video-call review to confirm residence and identity.
BixeLab found the presentation-attack detection component met ISO/IEC 18013-3 standards, though 4.3% of Level 2 attacks succeeded in testing; UNJSPF said human review closes that gap.
UNJSPF says it has not seen a single undetected fraud attempt so far and is already extending the model beyond the UN, with the Inter-American Development Bank adopting a customized version.