Summary

Haven Wallet was created to address one of the most persistent weaknesses in crypto and digital asset security: the inability to prove definitively whether a transaction was authorised by the owner.

By integrating the YEO SDK, Haven has transformed future crypto transactions by introducing a data-minimised continuous authentication protocol that verifies users without relying on stored personal identity information. This partnership enables verifiable authorisation, removes reliance on credential-based authorisation, and limits unnecessary data exposure in an increasingly regulated crypto landscape.

The Challenge

Crypto users face constant threats, including phishing, SIM swap fraud, device compromise, seed phrase theft, and social engineering attacks. Traditional wallets rely on passwords, PINs, and recovery seed phrases (a 12- or 24-word recovery code that grants full access to a crypto wallet and, if exposed, allows anyone to restore and transfer the associated assets), which can be stolen, copied, or misused.

"The fundamental problem with crypto security is that credentials prove access, not ownership — and in an anonymous system, that distinction is catastrophic. Until security protocols can confirm the owner has authenticated the action, theft and fraud will continue to wreak havoc."

Matthew Jones, Founder of Haven 

Why Traditional Security Falls Short

Passwords verify access only at the point of entry for a crypto transaction. Two-factor authentication often relies on the same compromised device. Seed phrases, while intended for recovery, introduce a single point of catastrophic failure if exposed or extracted from a compromised device or photo.

In short, ownership is presumed. Credentials (passwords and seed phrases) create catastrophic vulnerabilities. Security protocols are outdated.

The Combined Haven and YEO SDK Solution

By integrating YEO's SDK, Haven introduced continuous facial authentication into its wallet environment. Rather than relying on static credentials such as passwords or PINs, the system verifies that the authorised user is actively and continually present during access and transaction activity.

YEO's continuous authentication is designed to authenticate users without storing unnecessary personal identity data. In doing so, it prioritises owner verification without data collection, aligning with the privacy expectations of many crypto users.

Haven's use of YEO's Continuous Facial Recognition SDK supports:

• Demonstrable authorisation of transactions

• Removal of reliance on credential-based authorisation

• Lower exposure to credential-based data leaks

• A clear distinction between password approval and owner approval.

Integration Process

The Haven team implemented the YEO Continuous Facial Recognition SDK in close collaboration with YEO's technical specialists to finalise deployment. The integration progressed efficiently, with functional authentication live within a short timeframe following implementation.

Regulatory Compliance with CARF and GDPR

The OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), finalised in 2022 and being implemented across participating jurisdictions (including the EU/UK) from 2026 onward, broadens the scope of data reporting and intergovernmental exchange for regulated crypto providers. Simultaneously, GDPR continues to impose strict obligations on the collection, storage, and processing of personal data — including biometric data — across the EU and the UK.

As reporting obligations expand and data minimisation requirements tighten, limiting unnecessary data accumulation becomes commercially and operationally significant. YEO's authentication model is designed to verify users without storing personal identity data, thereby supporting compliance with both frameworks.

Immediate Results & Impact

By integrating the YEO SDK, Haven has introduced continuous biometric authentication to its wallet environment, strengthening fraud resistance and removing reliance on credential-based authorisation at the point of transaction. This approach differentiates Haven within the self-custody market by prioritising verifiable access control over one-time credential checks.

Looking Ahead

As AI-driven impersonation and synthetic identity attacks scale, reliance on passwords and one-time verification is becoming structurally obsolete. Continuous authentication represents a necessary evolution in securing financial services, digital identity systems, and Web3 infrastructure.

The Haven x YEO partnership signals a shift toward a model in which transactions can be demonstrably authorised without expanding exposure of identity data, redefining what secure self-custody can look like.