Fourthline and Veridas Join Forces to Fight Identity Fraud with a Global Identity Platform

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands & PAMPLONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 16, 2026--

Fourthline, Europe's identity verification and compliance leader, has signed an agreement to merge with Veridas, a recognised international digital identity provider, to deliver the most complete and advanced trust platform across Europe and the Americas.

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Paul Stoddart, CEO of Fourthline

The combination unites Fourthline's institutional-grade KYC/AML compliance orchestration across Northern and Central Europe with Veridas's proprietary identity and anti-fraud stack and market position in Southern Europe, the US, and Latin America. Operating under a single, integrated AI architecture, the combined entity will secure the entire customer lifecycle for global Tier-1 banks, fintechs, telecommunications providers, and digital disruptors across both continents. Fourthline and Veridas come together from a position of strength, both profitable, EBITDA-positive, and at the strongest point in their respective histories. Together they are projected to complete 115 million verifications this year, active in 50+ countries worldwide.

Growth and Compliance Without Borders

By combining Fourthline's proven sovereign AI technology stack and modular compliance platform with Veridas's local market expertise, proprietary anti-fraud and biometric portfolio, and established relationships across Europe, Latin America, and the US’ financial ecosystem, the two companies will offer regulated institutions a single, trusted partner for end-to-end KYC, AML, and identity compliance and the infrastructure to grow with confidence.

Together, Fourthline and Veridas will provide financial institutions and regulated customers across Europe, the US, and Latin America with:

Paul Stoddart, CEO of Fourthline:"Fourthline was built to solve one of financial services' most persistent challenges — how to make identity verification and compliance fast, reliable, and scalable without compromise. We have done that for some of Europe's largest and most demanding regulated institutions. The opportunity to extend that mission within Europe and further into Latin America, one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly digitising financial markets, is one we've been building towards. Veridas has done something exceptional in building infrastructure that genuinely works for the complexity and richness of its customers. Together, we are raising the bar for what compliant, scalable identity verification looks like globally."

Eduardo Azanza, CEO and Co-founder of Veridas:"Veridas was born with the mission to provide the internet with the trust layer it was missing: a way for individuals and organisations to operate safely with real identities. In a world of AI-driven fraud, where distinguishing a real identity from a fake one is becoming increasingly difficult, and where regulatory complexity and market opportunity are both accelerating, our mission is more necessary than ever. By combining our decade of experience serving Tier-1 companies globally with proprietary identity and biometric technologies, advanced anti-fraud capabilities, and reusable identity solutions, together with Fourthline’s expansive compliance orchestration and proven experience with neobanks, fintechs and regulated financial institutions across Europe, we can now make this vision real."

The merger will accelerate a shared strategic roadmap to build next-generation identity and trust infrastructure for highly regulated industries. The combined company will focus on helping customers reduce financial crime, simplify compliance, improve conversion, authenticate users continuously, and prepare for the transition to reusable digital identity across all markets.

Following completion of the merger, Veridas shareholders (including BBVA) will continue to be shareholders in the combination, and the transaction will be partly funded by existing Fourthline investor Finch Capital and new investors including Rabo Investments, and is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending customary closing conditions including applicable regulatory approvals.

The integration of Fourthline’s and Veridas’s technologies will be executed in a phased manner, with an unwavering commitment to service performance and quality with local customer support across all markets. Both companies will continue to serve existing clients with a stronger, more capable platform with full continuity of service.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals, and is expected to be finalised in the second half of 2026.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "will," "expected," "positioned," and similar expressions. By their nature, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the timing and outcome of regulatory approvals, integration progress, competitive dynamics, and other factors. Actual results may differ materially. Fourthline and Veridas do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

About Fourthline:

Fourthline is Europe's leading identity verification provider powering compliance solutions through proprietary AI technology. Founded in Amsterdam in 2017, Fourthline’s strength is reflected in its client roster including Revolut, N26, Trade Republic, Qonto, Scalable Capital, Scalapay, Raisin, Rabobank and Bitpanda. Through a single API integration, Fourthline enables financial institutions to maintain consistent compliance standards while supporting ambitious global expansion. www.fourthline.com

About Veridas:

Veridas is a technology company founded in 2017 as a joint venture with BBVA. Since then, it has become a leading global player in the identity industry, serving over 350 clients across 25 countries in sectors including banking, insurance, telecommunications, and public administration across Europe, Latin America and the United States. Veridas’ mission is to provide Trusted Digital Identities to any business, through its proprietary, cutting-edge identity verification, biometric, and anti-fraud solutions.

Eduardo Azanza, CEO and Co-founder of Veridas

Paul Stoddart, CEO of Fourthline

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Protesters gathered in downtown Kyiv on Thursday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moved to dismiss his defense minister, as parliament convened to appoint a new prime minister as part of a major government reshuffle.

The shake-up could become a test of Zelenskyy’s political authority as Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches 4½ years.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, is considered to be a modernizer whose technological expertise is credited in part with a significant improvement in Ukraine’s military performance in recent months against Russia’s bigger army. He was expected to leave the government after just six months in the post.

Zelenskyy didn't publicly give a reason for Fedorov’s anticipated exit. Unconfirmed Ukrainian media reports said that Fedorov had a strained relationship with Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Syrskyi, 60, is credited with initially organizing the defense of Kyiv in February 2022, and seven months later masterminded a successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. He was born in 1965 in the Soviet Union and attended Moscow Higher Military Command School before serving in the Soviet Artillery Corps.

The mostly young protesters shouted Fedorov’s name and made crude remarks about Skryskyi. They chanted, “Syrskyy go away!” and “A European army for a European country!”

Bohdan Huryak, a Kyiv resident at the protest, said that he was “deeply outraged” by Fedorov’s exit.

“I’m not deeply invested in the internal political debates, but this is a person who shows results on the battlefield, we see results, we feel the fighting spirit and confidence in victory rising,” Huryak told The Associated Press. “And then, six months later, he is removed from office? Come on.”

Demonstrations were also held in other cities across Ukraine, including Dnipro in the center of the country and the southern port city of Odesa.

Zelenskyy swiftly reversed course in July last year when large street protests broke out over a new law that would have curbed the independence of the country’s anti-corruption watchdogs. The outcry threatened the stability of his leadership for the first time since Russia’s all-out invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Before he became defense minister last January, Fedorov was the head of Ukraine’s digital transformation policies and seen as a modernizer. He won public popularity by spearheading Ukraine's speedy development and deployment of drone technology and introducing several successful e-government platforms.

He also promised sweeping military reforms, saying after he took over that the military had faced about 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by around 2 million people.

Fedorov highlighted in his social media posts what he said were major achievements during his brief tenure. He said that he took the risk of redirecting funds originally earmarked for salary payments into midrange strike capabilities, fiber-optic drones, reconnaissance systems and other technologies.

He also pointed to expanded drone procurement, Patriot missile defense contracts, successful ballistic missile tests and sweeping changes to military procurement.

At the same time, he acknowledged that he was unable to complete the Defense Ministry’s organizational transformation “according to NATO standards and common sense,” move all procurement to competitive tenders, and build a culture of accountability.

He said that while many officials had been dismissed under his authority, “it was necessary to dismiss even more people who were hindering the changes.”

Zelenskyy didn't formally announce Fedorov’s departure. However, Fedorov confirmed his dismissal and listed his achievements in office in social media posts late Wednesday, after days of unconfirmed Ukrainian media reports that he was on his way out.

Zelenskyy also nominated Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi to take over as prime minister, parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said in a social media post late Wednesday.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Koretskyi was the most appropriate candidate for the government’s priority of preparing Ukraine for another difficult winter. He cited the Naftogaz chief’s experience in the energy sector.

Lawmakers in Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, were debating the Cabinet changes before the summer recess begins on Saturday.

Dan Bashakov and Dmytro Zhyhinas contributed to this report.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Ukrainians gather to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months in the post, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 16, 2026. Placard reads: Fedorov is a minister of innovation. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)

Ukranians gather to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months in the post, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 16, 2026. Placard reads: Bring back Fedorov. Do not destroy defense capability. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)

Ukranians gather to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months in the post, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 16, 2026. Placards read: "Power is the people", center left, and "Bring back Fedorov", center. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)

Ukrainians gather to denounce President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after six months in the post, Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)