Articles & Insights

In our previous article, we explored whether human assets can be fully digitalized or tokenized, identifying two major barriers: authentic intention and legal recognition. Without a human-centric verification mechanism, digital signing opens the door to identity fraud, sloppy private key management, and legally baseless asset transfers. When trust and legal protection are missing, asset digitalization hits a wall.

Electronic signatures come in multiple formats; each designed for different use cases. This article compares the widely used PAdES format with the XAdES format that powers SelfieSign's SVS (Selfie Video Signature) file, exploring how these technologies differ and what makes each suited to different scenarios.

Electronic signature laws are notoriously difficult to draft, revise, and interpret. They must balance legal provisions, real-world applications, cybersecurity controls, AND technical standards. This multifaceted complexity demands not just theoretical understanding, but practical insight into how these technologies actually function in diverse scenarios. 

As digital finance moves toward full-scale adoption, establishing trusted digital identities and asset certification mechanisms has become a major challenge. At the 2025 Tokyo GFTN Forum, ThinkCloud raised a critical question: Are we really ready to fully digitize human value?

Most transactions today happen remotely. Deals close across borders. Signatures are exchanged between people who’ve never met—and may never meet. In this landscape, trust is the currency that can make or break a business. But with cybercriminals evolving faster than ever, that trust is in short supply. This tension between necessary digital interactions and growing security threats has catalyzed the need for a fundamental shift in how businesses ensure the integrity of their