Alexandra Borgeaud
Research expert covering cybersecurity and tech in Latin America
Biometric technologies - statistics & Facts
Once only seen in spy movies, fingerprint mapping, facial recognition, and retina scans have now entered our everyday lives and fall under the umbrella of biometric technologies. Biometrics refers to the measurement and analysis of people's unique physical characteristics and has been used to identify individuals for over two centuries. More recently, it gave rise to biometric authentication as a form of identification and access control, a market that has been growing ever since. In 2023, the digital identity solutions market - of which biometric technology is a major component – was valued at 34.5 billion U.S. dollars and is forecast to continue its increase in the coming years.
A history of biometrics: from criminal identification to access control
The modern biometric systems as we know them have only been made available to companies and consumers over the last decade. However, the history of biometric technologies is based on concepts developed hundreds of years ago, starting with the development of the “Henry System of Fingerprint Classification” at the end of the 19th century in British India, with the purpose of criminal identification. Due to rapid technological advancements, especially over the past few years, the use of biometrics expanded from criminal identification systems to a wide range of industries and everyday tasks, such as unlocking one’s smartphone or ensuring a secure bank transfer. In 2023, biometrics constituted the most preferred security authentication method to sign-in to online accounts, apps, and smart devices. Today, biometric methods include facial recognition, fingerprint scan, voice, and iris recognition, as well as signature-based authentication. Facial recognition is the biometric technology most likely to show the greatest increase in usage over the next few years, with a market size forecast to reach nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars by 2023.Facilitating consumption
Nowadays, biometric authentication is primarily being used for identification and access control, for example at airports. At the same time, biometrics is expected to play a growing role in facilitating digital payments for online purchases, particularly favored among younger generations. The reasons invoked by consumers for using such methods include faster checkout times and improved security. More generally, not having to remember a password represented the main benefit of using biometric authentication according to consumers in 2023. Nevertheless, some challenges remain: in 2023, over one-half of respondents among biometrics industry professionals highlighted privacy and data protection concerns as the main factor restraining the biometrics market. The future will tell if strengthened privacy legislation and governance can appease the public’s concerns over privacy of their most personal data.
