Regtech Sumsub Introduces “Greenflag,” the Digital Nation for 627 Million Consumers Reportedly Excluded from Online Services

Regtech firm Sumsub has recently unveiled ‘Greenflag,’ described as a digital nation for 627 million people excluded from online services.

On World Inclusion Day, Sumsub says millions of individuals are “excluded from essential digital services,” including financial services, education, healthcare, and employment platforms.

The research is part of a new “awareness campaign,” which introduces the fictional ‘nation’ of Greenflag whose citizens are victims of “overly risk-averse business compliance practices” and limitations of existing verification systems.

These fail to account for a range of diverse identities as well as appearances and stereotype individuals based on their “nationality’s rate of fraud.”

Andrew Sever, CEO and Co-Founder of Sumsub explained that Greenflag may be “fictional,” however, the critical issue it represents – digital exclusion – is “very real, with serious implications.”

Sever added that as the digital economy grows, these challenges are expected to only “intensify” further.

Sever also mentioned that their mission is to empower a “digitally inclusive future,” which is why we decided to “dig deeper” into the problem.

But they couldn’t realize the true scale of it until they saw these “distressing results.”

Addressing digital exclusion is both a moral necessity and a “significant” economic opportunity for “global businesses and governments.”

As noted in the update from Sumsub, more inclusive verification practices can unlock underserved and “underrepresented markets and foster global economic growth, while driving social equity.”

Sumsub’s latest research, conducted by Catalyst Group, underscores that digital exclusion is both a “societal injustice and an economic oversight. Key findings” from the research include:

  • Over 627 million people are unfairly excluded from or struggle to access essential digital services.
  • Greenflag ranks as the third largest ‘country’ in the world, by population.
  • Greenflag’s potential untapped purchasing power stands at $1.75 trillion USD.
  • Digital transactions for Greenflag citizens could exceed $2.46 trillion by 2028.
  • Identification document issues – 243 million individuals struggle to access services due to non-standard or outdated ID documents.
  • Lack of digital literacy – 219 million people are left behind due to insufficient skills to navigate digital platforms. This is due to various factors, including providers neglecting to provide sufficiently accessible support.
  • Physical appearance changes – 96 million people face verification challenges due to medical conditions, hair loss, facial injuries, or personal decisions like cosmetic surgery and gender transitions.
  • Country of origin – over 70 million people are blocked by risk-based exclusions, with businesses often generalising entire nations as high-risk, unfairly excluding innocent individuals.

Digital exclusion stems from several barriers, often due to verification systems failing to “accommodate the diversity of human experiences.”

Additional research from institutions like Amnesty International highlights that exclusion can be driven by “systemic discrimination” and repressive governance, which “disproportionately affects marginalized groups.”

For example, discriminatory policies, “barriers for refugees and migrants,” and limitations on “freedom of expression” prevent many from accessing essential digital services.

Additionally, economic instability as well as “inadequate social rights” further marginalize vulnerable populations, making it even more challenging for them to engage meaningfully with digital services.



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