As financial institutions have embraced digital-first models, authentication has largely remained a relic of an earlier era, centered around static logins, passwords, and risk-based step-ups. While these methods may have once sufficed, today’s environment of deepfakes, social engineering, and session takeovers demands something more intelligent, adaptive, and seamless.

This panel explores a fundamental shift: from treating authentication as a one-time event to a persistent, behind-the-scenes assessment of presence and intent. By fusing biometric signals with behavioral and contextual cues across a user’s full session, financial institutions can quietly yet powerfully distinguish legitimate customers from sophisticated attackers, improving both fraud defenses and customer experience.