Identity
Verify bank account ownership. Instantly.
Reduce ACH risk by matching identity details against bank-held data, directly in your existing payments flow.
Why teams choose Identity
Faster signups, fewer steps
A user's name, phone, email, and address come straight from their bank, automatically—boosting conversion from the start.
Convert more verified accounts
Match scores help you approve more legitimate customers, and catch mismatches before they turn into a return or fraud loss.
Go live without the build
Skip the engineering lift of building your own matching algorithm. Launch in one click with Plaid's recommended rules.
95%+ of US banks
Identity retrieves account data from 95%+ of US financial institutions.
20% more conversions
Identity Match boosts onboarding conversion by 20% compared to in-house algorithms.
99.5% precision
Identity Match resolves account ownership with 99.5% precision.
How it works
Set your match rules
Match scores and dashboard rules help you approve, review, or block account links before a mismatch turns into a return or fraud loss.
A user links their bank account
During onboarding or before a payment, a user will be asked to connect their bank account through Plaid Link.
Plaid checks account owner info
Identity retrieves the account owner's name, phone, email, and address. Identity Match compares it against what your user submitted.
Emilie Choi
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Reach out if we missed yours.
What is bank account ownership verification?
Bank account ownership verification confirms the name on a bank account matches the person using it. Plaid's identity matching API automates that check and returns a match score instead of a manual document review.
Why does bank account ownership verification matter?
Bank account ownership verification matters because it catches a mismatched account before money moves—whether that's a fraudulent pay-in or a misdirected payout. Catching it early is a core piece of fraud defense, not a compliance afterthought.
Does Identity Match support joint or co-owned bank accounts?
Yes, Identity Match supports joint and co-owned bank accounts. It matches against whichever account holder name or names the bank returns. Exact multi-holder handling varies by institution, so confirm specifics before this ships.
How does Plaid help verify bank account ownership?
Plaid helps verify bank account ownership by pulling the account holder's name directly from their bank. Identity Match then compares that against what the customer submits and returns a match score the business acts on.
What is the difference between Identity, Identity Match, and Identity Verification?
The difference is scope: Identity and Identity Match confirm bank account ownership using data from the linked account, while Identity Verification (IDV) verifies who a person is for KYC using ID and biometric checks, not bank data.
