The cost of discontinuity in digital IDs, eSignatures and other trust services

Can trust be paused? What sounds like a philosophical question can quickly become a practical problem for companies that rely on digital identities, online verification, and electronic signatures. If their trust service provider, the organization responsible for the cryptographic infrastructure behind these services, changes its operating model or even ceases business, they need to be prepared.

Because digital trust is deeply embedded in sensitive online transactions across regulated sectors such as banking and healthcare, companies cannot simply press pause and implement new services whenever it suits them – at least not without incurring high costs.

Do not break the trust chain

From an end-user perspective, online identification and document signing seem very straightforward today. Whether people use national eIDs, AI-assisted video identification or, soon, EUDI wallets, establishing an online identity has never been easier. Qualified electronic signatures (QES) can be added to contracts with just a few clicks, significantly speeding up closings. But this convenience only holds as long as the trust chain in the background remains intact. If one link breaks, the connection is lost.

Behind every seamless, user-friendly process lies a complex construction of interconnected links. From the frontend online portal or app to the core systems of enterprises and institutions, certificates and encrypted data packages move through secured channels while APIs communicate with each other in real time.

Although a trust service provider may, in technical terms, “only” deliver cryptographic certificates, this is one of the most critical and complex links in the chain. The integrity of certificates must be guaranteed through strong cryptographic measures, and they must always remain valid and up to date. Removing or weakening this link would make the entire process insecure.

Consequences are real

The consequences of a disrupted trust chain can be immediate and far-reaching. Identification, authentication, and onboarding processes may come to a standstill, preventing customers, patients, or business partners from accessing services, completing transactions, or signing legally binding documents. What may look like a technical issue in the background can quickly become a visible service disruption at the customer interface and thus a hard business problem.

For companies, the longer-term consequences can be even more damaging. Interrupted digital trust services can slow growth, delay revenue, increase operational costs, and erode confidence among users and regulators. In highly competitive and regulated markets, continuity is not just a matter of convenience; it is a prerequisite for maintaining credibility and remaining compliant.

The worst case: fallback in the analog age

If companies experience disruptions in their digital trust processes and cannot resolve them in time, they risk falling back into the era of paper and ink. Processes designed to be fast, scalable, and digital may suddenly revert to printing, mailing, manual checks, and wet-ink signatures. This not only slows operations dramatically but also reintroduces friction, error-prone workflows and higher administrative costs.

Trust Service Provider Transition Made Easy

If you are evaluating a new trust service provider, Swisscom can help you understand your options. In a free initial consultation, our experts review your current setup, discuss migration scenarios, and outline the next steps for a secure and efficient transition.

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Customer success stories

Customer success stories

The cost of discontinuity in digital IDs, eSignatures and other trust services

Do not break the trust chain

Consequences are real

The worst case: fallback in the analog age

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