Entersekt
Founded 2008 Β· 251 employees on LinkedIn Β· 6 known investors
Entersekt provides digital banking and payment authentication solutions for financial institutions to detect and prevent fraud. The company serves banks and payment providers seeking to protect customer accounts while maintaining secure digital experiences.
Also known as Entersekt (Pty) Ltd
Founders & leadership
Investors Β· 6
Also in the syndicate Β· 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Entersekt is a financial authentication software provider serving banks, credit unions and card issuers. Its platform combines digital banking authentication, 3-D Secure payment security for card-not-present transactions, and a risk intelligence component branded Authentication Advisor, which analyzes behavior, device data and global signals and learns from outcomes to inform authentication decisions. The company markets its approach as patented Context Awareβ’ Authentication, applying real-time context so that customers are challenged only when risk is assessed as material and authentication remains passive otherwise. Product capabilities described by the company include step-up authentication with push approvals and biometrics, silent/frictionless authentication, and Browser ID, a passive browser authentication feature intended to reduce reliance on cookies.
The company positions the platform as unifying banking and payment authentication in a single system across channels, with delivery organized into discovery and solution design, signal unification and integration, decisioning and configuration, testing and launch readiness, and ongoing optimization and support. A single-API, plug-and-play deployment option for banks and credit unions has also been announced. Entersekt states its compliance and certification portfolio is aligned to standards financial institutions must meet across jurisdictions, and it publishes an environmental policy covering emissions, energy, water, waste and procurement. Historically its core product was Transakt, a standalone mobile security app that used digital certificate technology and proprietary mobile validation techniques to establish a secure channel between service providers and customers' phones and tablets.
Founding story
Entersekt was founded in 2008 in Stellenbosch, South Africa, by four local entrepreneurs, among them Schalk Nolte and Dewald Nolte, initially to solve a specific authentication problem for financial institutions using push-based authentication built on digital certificate technology and mobile devices. (A Wikipedia entry lists a 2010 formation date, differing from the company's stated 2008 founding.)
Business model
Entersekt licenses authentication, 3-D Secure and risk-decisioning software to financial institutions, positioning itself as a long-term partner that provides implementation, integration, optimization, monitoring and support alongside the technology. It emphasizes measurable business outcomes for buyers, including reduced fraud losses, higher transaction approval rates, lower operational and call-center costs, and regulatory compliance, and claims payback within six months.
Traction
Company-reported figures include more than 7.5 billion transactions secured per year, more than 900 banks served across more than 70 countries, and more than 120 patents. Entersekt reported securing over one million users for clients on the Q2 digital banking platform, and announced a record year of growth and expansion in FY24 as well as strong growth and profitability in 2025. Customer results published by the company include Capitec Bank recording a 54% increase in checkout conversion within six months and 149% growth in transaction value in the first year after streamlining its 3-D Secure experience, and FirstBank using step-up authentication to secure Zelle payments. At the time of its 2016 funding round, the company reported clients operating in 45 countries.
Latest developments
Recent announcements include the appointment of Clare Conway as CEO with founder Schalk Nolte transitioning to a strategic leadership role, a partnership under which CGI in Norway will offer Entersekt's cloud-based 3DS ACS to Nordic issuers, a plug-and-play single-API deployment of the authentication platform for banks and credit unions, a partnership with Alloy combining Context Aware Authentication with Alloy's identity decisioning, the launch of Browser ID for passive browser authentication, 2025 leadership expansion with reported growth and profitability, and a consumer data report finding 43% of more than 400 surveyed U.S. consumers would switch financial institutions over authentication methods. The company also published commentary on 3-D Secure evolving into a decision layer and on AI-driven fraud pressure on South African banking defenses.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Entersekt describes itself as a leader in financial authentication for banks and credit unions, citing recognition as a leading vendor in Liminal's Link Index for account takeover prevention in banking (top 15 globally) and the Best Authentication Innovation award in the Datos Insights Impact Awards. It reports serving more than 900 banks in over 70 countries and securing more than 7.5 billion transactions annually. Earlier recognition includes the Best Mobile Security Technology Award at the 2017 Banker Africa Southern Africa Banking Awards.
The company differentiates on combining banking and payment authentication in one platform rather than separate point tools, on using real-time context (behavior, device and transaction signals) to judge intent as well as identity, and on exclusive focus on financial institutions and their compliance requirements. It also emphasizes low-friction or invisible authentication, with claims of 98% frictionless authentication rates, a 99% reduction in phishing attempts, and 90%+ reduction in account takeover incidents.
Technology
The platform ingests behavior, device and transaction signals in real time and unifies them for decisioning, with the Authentication Advisor risk intelligence tool analyzing behavior, device data and global signals and continuously learning from outcomes. The approach is branded Context Awareβ’ Authentication and is supported by a claimed portfolio of more than 120 security patents. Delivery mechanisms include push-based approvals with biometrics, silent authentication, cloud-based 3-D Secure access control server (ACS) services, passive browser authentication (Browser ID), and a single-API integration option. Earlier technology centered on push-based authentication using digital certificates on mobile devices via the Transakt app.
Go-to-market
Entersekt sells directly to financial institutions through a sales organization expanded in 2025 with senior hires, and works through an ecosystem of partners across banking, payments and digital identity. Examples include a partnership with Alloy combining Entersekt's digital banking authentication with Alloy's identity decisioning, an agreement under which CGI in Norway offers Entersekt's cloud-based 3DS ACS to Nordic issuers, deployments for banks and credit unions using the Q2 digital banking platform, and earlier partnerships with Crealogix and Netcetera plus a reseller arrangement with IST Networks for the Middle East and Turkey. It supports demand generation with case studies (FirstBank, Capitec Bank), consumer research reports, and industry award recognition.
Financial institutions: retail and commercial banks, credit unions, and card issuers, including institutions supporting real-time payment schemes such as Zelle. The company also serves issuers through digital banking platform providers and payment/technology partners.
Geography
Originating in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Entersekt is now co-headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and lists offices in Atlanta (US); Tallinn, Estonia; Munich, Germany; Oslo, Norway; London, UK; Stellenbosch, South Africa; and Ebene, Mauritius, covering North America, Europe and Africa. It reports serving banks in more than 70 countries.
History
After its founding in Stellenbosch, Entersekt built its business around push-based mobile authentication, with early funding and later Visa certification supporting product development and market expansion. In February 2016, Colorado-based FirstBank adopted its Transakt technology for mobile banking security, and in July 2016 the company entered partnerships with Swiss fintech Crealogix and software firm Netcetera; it had also appointed IST Networks as a reseller for the Middle East and Turkey in 2016. A funding round closed in September 2016 with participation from Endeavor Catalyst β that fund's first investment in South Africa β followed in June 2017 by an undisclosed investment from AlphaCode and BoE Private Equity Investments. Investment from Accel-KKR and Pape Fund Managers (PAPEfunds, which later increased its stake and ownership) funded a subsequent growth phase, and the acquisition of Modirum 3-D Secure expanded the company's digital payments capabilities. Entersekt reported record growth in FY24, expanded its leadership team in 2025, and appointed Clare Conway as Chief Executive Officer as co-founder Schalk Nolte moved to a strategic leadership role and board seat.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 17
launches, deals, and filingsEntersekt announced that PAPEfunds increased its total investment and ownership stake in the company.
Entersekt appointed Clare Conway as CEO, succeeding founder Schalk Nolte, who transitioned to a strategic leadership role and board membership, as the company positioned for growth in digital banking fraud prevention and payment security.
Entersekt expanded its leadership team in 2025, including sales leadership additions such as industry veteran Tim Sadler, who is listed as Chief Revenue Officer, alongside reported growth and profitability.
Banks and credit unions across the US using the Q2 digital banking platform adopted Entersekt's authentication solutions, surpassing one million secured users.
CGI in Norway will offer Entersekt's cloud-based 3-D Secure access control server, combining CGI's digital banking and payments expertise with Entersekt's authentication technology.
The partnership combines Entersekt's Context Aware Authentication for digital banking with Alloy's identity decisioning capabilities.
Entersekt announced a single-API solution enabling banks and credit unions to deploy its fraud and account takeover protection with simplified implementation.
Entersekt acquired Modirum's 3-D Secure business, expanding its capabilities in digital payments.
Entersekt was recognized among the top 15 globally in Liminal's Link Index covering the account takeover prevention market for banks and financial institutions.
The company said FY24 momentum was fueled by new clients, technology innovation and strategic partnerships.
Entersekt added Browser ID to its Browser Authentication solution, providing passive, privacy-friendly frictionless authentication that reduces reliance on cookies.
Entersekt received an undisclosed investment from AlphaCode and BoE Private Equity Investments.
Entersekt raised a new round of funding in September with participation from Endeavor Catalyst, the fund's first investment in South Africa. Proceeds were earmarked for international expansion and R&D. Endeavor Catalyst invests only after a company raises an equity financing round of more than $5 million from a professional venture capital or growth equity fund.
Entersekt partnered with Swiss fintech company Crealogix and software and digital payments company Netcetera.
Colorado-based FirstBank opted for Entersekt's Transakt technology to enhance the security of its mobile banking application.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- Entersektentersekt.com Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Entersekt do?
- Entersekt provides context-aware authentication, 3-D Secure and risk intelligence software for banks and card issuers.
- Who are Entersekt's investors?
- Entersekt's investors include Accel-KKR, Convergence Partners, HAVAIC, Endeavor Catalyst.