TSB Bank has become the first private firm in New Zealand to tap into the government-run RealMe online ID scheme, enabling new customers to sign up for accounts from their mobile phone apps.
Developed by the government and New Zealand Post, RealMe provides users with a single username and password that can be used to access services at any participating site.
So far the system has been used to let New Zealanders access government services such as ordering important documents, passport renewals and student loan applications.
In its first venture into the private sphere, RealMe is now being trialled by TSB Bank, with people who download the bank's iPhone app able to sign up for an account with a few taps, rather than having to visit a branch with documentation.
TSB Bank says that it will extend the use of RealMe to its Android app and to other services such as loans and insurance in the future. Meanwhile, the government says that Kiwibank and other banks are set to follow TSB next year.