Central Bank of Armenia hosts representatives of imID and SK ID Solutions

8 minute read

The Central Bank of Armenia, represented by Governor Martin Galstyan and Deputy Governor Armen Nurbekyan, hosted a joint meeting between imID and SK ID Solutions to discuss the recently launched strategic partnership between the two organizations and its significance within Armenia’s broader digital transformation agenda.

The meeting was also attended by Nerses Yeritsyan, Director of the Information Systems Agency of Armenia (ISAA), as well as representatives from both companies — Tigran Simonyan, Chairman of the Board of imID; Tigran Frangyan, Board Member; Karen Mkoyan, CEO of imID; Anna Hakobyan, Chief Legal, Risk and Compliance Officer of imID; and from SK ID Solutions — Kalev Pihl, CEO; Katrin Laas-Mikko, Head of Risk and Compliance Governance; and Piruza Harutjunjan, Head of Business Strategy.

During the meeting, the participants discussed the newly launched strategic partnership between imID and SK ID Solutions in strengthening Armenia’s financial system, banking sector, and compliance mechanisms. Governor Martin Galstyan and Deputy Governor Armen Nurbekyan presented the Central Bank’s strategic priorities and emphasized the importance of integrating best global practices into Armenia’s financial infrastructure. They also highlighted the value of the Estonian and broader European experience, noting that adoption of such trusted and proven models will accelerate the development of Armenia’s own digital identity and trust ecosystem.

“For us, the implementation of such initiatives is of great importance, as we are confident that the introduction of digital identification mechanisms will serve as a strong catalyst for delivering new, more secure, and more inclusive digital financial services,” said Martin Galstyan, Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia. 

Under the agreement, imID will deploy SK ID Solutions’ internationally proven split key security technology on its already operational and modern infrastructure to launch the imID Digital ID App in Armenia. This initiative represents a key step toward building a secure, reliable, and EU regulation–compliant digital ecosystem in the country.

“imID’s mission is to work closely with national institutions to position Armenia among the world’s leading digital societies. Our solutions are designed to elevate the business environment to a new level of efficiency and security by introducing innovative technologies and trusted digital services. Having already launched Armenia’s first Certification Authority, we have now set another important milestone and are confidently moving toward the next one — the rollout of the imID Digital ID App, built upon SK ID Solutions’ many years of European expertise,” said Tigran Simonyan, Chairman of the Board of imID and Deputy CEO – Chief Digital Platforms and Technology Officer at Acba Bank OJSC. 

According to Karen Mkoyan, CEO of imID, the cooperation with SK ID Solutions goes far beyond the implementation of an advanced and internationally recognized technology. He also mentioned that during the meeting, the sides also agreed to share more than two decades of business know-how, governance experience, and practical lessons learned in trust service delivery.

Kalev Pihl, CEO of SK ID Solutions, emphasized the shared vision behind this collaboration:

“We are honored to be hosted by the Central Bank of Armenia and to take part in discussions focused on the country’s decisive steps and approaches toward digital transformation. With imID, Armenia possesses both the ambition and the solid foundation needed to become a regional leader in the field of digital identity and trust services. By combining our 25 years of expertise with imID’s strong infrastructure, we are developing a solution that will serve citizens, businesses, and financial institutions alike. This cooperation is a vivid example of how partnership and trust can become the foundation for innovation, economic growth, and an inclusive digital economy.”

Discussions also touched upon the challenges and opportunities within the fintech sector, including fraud prevention, identity protection, and the growing importance of strong verification mechanisms in compliance and customer security.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen cooperation and accelerate the joint efforts toward launching the imID Digital ID App — a solution that will provide secure authentication, signing, and identity verification services for citizens, banks, telecom operators, and fintech companies, ensuring fast, convenient, and legally recognized digital interactions.

The application is planned to be launched in the first quarter of 2026.

***

imID was established in 2024 by 10 leading banks in Armenia and 3 telecommunications companies. The company provides secure and reliable electronic identity solutions for individuals, businesses, and government institutions.

As a Digital Identity Provider, imID issues secure digital IDs to citizens, enabling trusted and verifiable interactions in the digital environment.

imID is shaping a new culture and standards for innovative and secure digital identity solutions, enabling users to register, login with imID, confirm transactions, sign any digital document online without the need for physical presence. 

As a Trust Service Provider, imID empowers businesses and government entities with a comprehensive suite of trusted digital services, such as Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS), Signature-as-a-Service (SignaaS) – remote qualified electronic signatures with full legal validity.

Recently, imID has introduced MobileID eSIM, allowing users to access digital identity services via eSIM-compatible devices without the need for a physical SIM card. The company has also acquired Armenia’s Mobile ID service, consolidating telecom-based identity infrastructure under one platform and ensuring seamless availability of identity services across the country.

Each action, whether signing documents or verifying identity, is protected by strong encryption and robust operational security mechanisms.

Starting from Armenia, imID aims to empower individuals worldwide with a secure and efficient digital identity solution that enhances their ability to interact with the digital world safely and seamlessly.

English العربية Հայերեն