LONDON, United Kingdom, November 12, 2026 – Shufti, a Glocal identity verification, AML, and fraud prevention platform, has launched its Privacy-Preserving Age Verification Solution, incorporating its patented on-device AI technology. The solution helps businesses confirm users’ age eligibility without the facial image or any other higher-assurance proof of age ever leaving the users’ device.
The technology is protected by US Patent No. 12,749,342 B1, titled AGE VERIFICATION, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent covers an AI-based system that combines on-device facial analysis, split inference, and encrypted One-Time Age Tokens (OTATs), designed to verify age while limiting the transfer of sensitive user data.
For businesses offering age-restricted services, two common approaches present different challenges. A self-declared “I am over 18” click offers little assurance that someone meets the age requirement. An ID upload and selfie can provide stronger evidence, but many users are reluctant to share such personal information, particularly when accessing sensitive services. Businesses collecting these records must also manage their security, retention, and deletion.
Regulators are also demanding stronger age checks while placing greater emphasis on privacy. In the UK, Ofcom does not recognise self-declaration as a highly effective age assurance method under the Online Safety Act. The European Commission is also advancing privacy-preserving proof-of-age tools that allow users to establish age eligibility without revealing their identity.
Shufti patented approach addresses both challenges: it lets businesses establish age eligibility while keeping the user’s original facial image on their device.
How Shufti’s On-Device Age Verification Keeps Facial Images on the User’s Device
Shufti Age Verification Solution uses patented split-inference technology to divide AI processing between the user’s device and a secure verification server.
When a user begins an age check, AI models analyse facial characteristics to estimate age and assess liveness locally. This helps identify spoofing attempts involving photographs, masks, screen replays, and manipulated images.
The device then generates an encrypted One-Time Age Token containing intermediate AI outputs rather than transmitting the original facial image. The verification server validates the token, completes the remaining AI processing, and determines whether the user meets the business’s required age threshold, such as 18 or 21.
The business can receive a simple pass-or-fail result without accessing the user’s facial image or full identity details. Tokens are time-limited, can be marked as used after verification, and may be restricted to a specific merchant to help prevent unauthorised reuse or sharing across platforms.
Dividing the final AI model between the device and server also reduces exposure of the complete model, making it harder to reverse-engineer the verification process or manipulate locally generated results.
Giving Businesses Greater Control Over Age Assurance
Not every business needs the same level of age assurance. An adult entertainment platform may need to confirm that a visitor is over 18, while a regulated gambling operator may also require documentary proof of identity.
To address these different needs, Shufti’s wider Age Verification Solution also allows businesses to select the level of assurance appropriate to their risk exposure, users, and regulatory requirements. It offers:
- Docless age checks through facial age estimation or eIDV, allowing businesses to assess age eligibility without requiring an identity document upload.
- Configurable age thresholds and confidence-based escalation to request stronger evidence when an age estimate is uncertain.
- Document verification or authoritative database check for cases requiring additional proof of age.
- Biometric liveness detection, supported by Shufti’s iBeta Level 3 PAD conformance, to strengthen protection against presentation attacks and deepfakes.
These methods allow businesses to use data-minimised age checks where appropriate and request additional verification when results are uncertain or regulations require stronger evidence.
Shahid Hanif, CEO of Shufti, commented on this launch:
“A business should not have to collect someone’s full identity simply to confirm whether they are old enough to access a service. We developed this age verification solution to help businesses prevent underage access without requiring every legitimate user to provide higher assurance proof of age. Our patented on-device AI age check approach keeps facial information on the user’s device while securely confirming age eligibility. This US patent marks an important milestone in our efforts behind an approach that puts users’ data privacy at the centre of age verification.”
The solution also supports adult entertainment platforms checking age before content access, social media services applying minimum-age policies, gaming and gambling operators verifying eligibility at registration, and e-commerce businesses checking age before restricted purchases.
See how Shufti’s patented Age Verification Solution can help your business confirm age eligibility while limiting sensitive data access. Book a personalised demo.
About Shufti
Shufti is a Glocal identity verification, AML, and fraud prevention platform. Built entirely in-house, its Glocal Trust OS unifies KYC, KYB, eIDV, age assurance, AML screening, agentic transaction monitoring, Know Your Agent (KYA), and fraud prevention. Designed to onboard customers, monitor changing risks, and assure critical actions, it provides a single customer view for context-aware trust management across the compliance lifecycle, combining global coverage with local compliance intelligence.
Shufti’s biometric liveness technology holds iBeta Level 3 PAD conformance under ISO/IEC 30107-3. Shufti is also recognised as a Leading vendor in Liminal’s 2026 Age Verification and Age Estimation Indexes, receiving the highest-tier Exceptional rating for Market Presence in both categories.
For more information, visit shuftipro.com
Media Contact
Aroosa Virk
Brand and Communications Manager
Shufti
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