TSB Bank, Kiwibank to use RealMe

1 August 2013

Last night the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon Chris Tremain announced that TSB Bank and Kiwibank have signed up to use the RealMe service. Both banks plan to allow customers to prove their identities online using RealMe within the next few months. Westpac Bank also signalled that they will be using RealMe shortly.

“RealMe will give people a quick and easy way to join us. We’re really excited about the convenience benefits this will provide,” says Marie Collins, CIO of TSB Bank.

The RealMe service will allow banks and financial institutions to comply with new rules that came into effect at the end of June. These rules require people to prove their identity more frequently than they have in the past and Kiwibank sees RealMe as the perfect solution to this.

“Using RealMe means our customers can access more services completely online in a way that’s easier and safer for them and ensures the bank is fully complying with new regulations. We are looking at which services these will be and plan to begin offering RealMe in the very near future,” says Peter Fletcher-Dobson, Head of Online Channels at Kiwibank.

Westpac says that they are well underway with their project to integrate RealMe.

"We are excited by RealMe’s possibilities. We hope that RealMe will help in allowing customers to access a wide range of products and services completely online," says Westpac Chief Information Officer Peter Fletcher.

Media contacts:

Michael Tull (New Zealand Post): 04 496 4566 or 027 837 6179
Michael Mead (Department of Internal Affairs): 04 382 3437 or 021 245 7451
More information: www.realme.govt.nz