Yoti

Company History & Founding

Yoti was founded in 2014 in London by Duncan Francis, Noel Hayden, and Robin Tombs. The initial concept was a consumer digital ID app that allowed users to store their official identity documents on their mobile phone and prove their identity or age without sharing unnecessary personal data. The company quickly expanded into the business-to-business space, offering identity verification services for regulated industries.

Business Model

Yoti generates revenue primarily through B2B licensing of its identity and age verification APIs and SDKs. Businesses pay per verification check or subscribe to tiered plans. The consumer digital ID app remains free, driving adoption and network effects. Yoti’s privacy-by-design approach – where only the minimum required information (e.g., "over 18") is shared – differentiates it from traditional identity providers.

Core Products & Platforms

Yoti offers a suite of products: the Yoti Digital ID App for consumers; Identity Verification using document and selfie checks with liveness detection; Age Verification through facial age estimation, document scans, credit card checks, and digital ID; Facial Age Estimation AI that estimates age from a selfie with no identity data stored; eSignatures for digital signing; MyFace for face-based re-authentication; and Yoti for Business (SDK/API) for custom integrations. These tools help clients comply with KYC, AML, age assurance, and online safety regulations.

Market Position & Competitors

Yoti operates in the competitive identity verification market alongside companies such as Onfido (owned by Entrust), Jumio, Veriff, and Mitek. Yoti’s emphasis on privacy, B Corp certification, and its strong presence in age verification for social media (e.g., Instagram and Facebook partnerships) give it a distinct niche. The company’s age estimation technology is used by the UK Home Office for age assessment trials and complies with the UK Online Safety Act and EU AI Act.

Regulatory & Compliance Milestones

Yoti holds iBeta Level 2 liveness certification and its face matching is ranked in NIST’s top ten. It is approved by the UK Government for identity and age verification. In 2026, the company was fined €950,000 by the Spanish Data Protection Agency for GDPR violations, marking a notable regulatory incident. Despite this, Yoti continues to work with global regulators and has integrated with the UK Post Office and other government services.

Recent Financials & Growth

In 2025, Yoti reported revenue of £29 million, a 62% increase year-on-year, and achieved EBITDA profitability from March 2025 onward. The company has passed one billion age checks and prevented 72 million minors from viewing adult content. Digital ID wallet downloads exceed 23 million globally, with 7.3 million in the UK. Cumulative funding is over £160 million from investors including Lloyds Banking Group and Nex.D.