For years, digital security was built on an almost unquestioned premise: the more steps in a process, the greater the protection. Complex passwords, SMS codes, and repeated validations defined that model. However, as the digital economy has evolved and user experience has become central, that approach has revealed clear limitations: today, more security can no longer mean more friction.

Users expect simple, fast, and reliable experiences, and every unnecessary step directly impacts conversion rates, abandonment, and brand perception.

With today’s technologies, organizations no longer need to choose between security and digital user experience. Both can advance together—without compromising, and often improving, the digital journey.

An outdated model‍

Traditional passwords are not only inconvenient but also vulnerable. Password reuse, phishing, and credential theft remain leading vectors of digital fraud. Additional verification methods, such as SMS OTPs, introduce friction and often fail to mitigate more sophisticated attacks like SIM swap fraud.

More visible controls do not necessarily mean less fraud. Instead, they frequently generate abandonment, frustration, and poor customer experience. As a result, this model is becoming obsolete.

According to a Sumsub study, global levels of identity fraud have remained relatively stable in recent years. However, regional disparities widened in 2025. While the United States and Canada saw a 14.6% decline and Europe a 5.5% decrease, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a 13.3%increase. Brazil and Colombia ranked among the 15 countries with the lowest protection against identity fraud worldwide.

Passwordless authentication

In this context, frictionless security represents a shift in approach. Rather than adding visible steps, it relies on signals that can be validated automatically and silently in the background. The goal is to authenticate legitimate users without requiring additional actions, reserving explicit controls only for real risk scenarios.

The new passwordless authentication model is based on gaining a deeper understanding of who is on the other side of the transaction—through a combination of context, data, and technology.

How does passwordless authentication work?

Passwordless authentication eliminates traditional passwords and replaces them with more secure and dynamic factors. Instead of relying on something a user remembers, it leverages something the user has (their mobile device), something they are (biometrics), or contextual signals that validate identity in the background.

In this new paradigm, the mobile phone plays a central role. Beyond being a communication channel, the device and its relationship with the telecommunications network function as a trusted anchor of identity. Number verification, line integrity, and the relationship between the user and their device enable real-time identity validation—without friction and with high levels of assurance.

Unlike passwords, which can be forgotten, shared, or stolen, the mobile device consistently accompanies the user.

This enables silent mobile authentication schemes that are more personalized and significantlyharder for attackers to replicate. Even in cases of device loss or theft, mechanisms exist to verify that the individual attempting to authenticate isthe legitimate line and device holder.

Mobile Identity APIs: Security operating in the background verification

Mobile identity APIs play a critical role in this model. By integrating directly with network infrastructure, they enable identity verification, anomaly detection, and fraud prevention without disrupting the digital user experience.

The result is a continuous, background verification framework based on multiple network signals, eliminating the need for explicit user actions.

For organizations, the benefits are twofold: stronger security and improved conversion rates. This approach also enables adaptive authentication, where controls dynamically adjust based on risk level—most users access services without friction, while suspicious cases trigger additional validation steps.

The passwordless authentication model does not rely on a single technology, but rather on the combination of complementary capabilities—such as mobile identity APIs, biometrics, and behavioral analytics—that collectively elevate the standard of digital identity verification.

Reinforced trust

Frictionless security is not a trend—it is a direct response to evolving digital user expectations and the increasing sophistication of fraud. In an environment moving toward password-free experiences, the challenge is no longer choosing between security and experience but delivering both in balance.

Adopting this approach enables organizations to reduce digital fraud, improve conversion, and build trust across the entire digital journey—while remaining aligned with privacy and regulatory compliance requirements. It also unlocks new use cases, such as age verification.

At Plusmo, we drive this evolution of digital authentication through our suite of mobile identity APIs, designed for seamless integration, stronger verification processes, and secure commercial transactions.