The privacy landscape is evolving fast. In 2026, global privacy regulations around biometric data are tightening, and organizations that don’t adapt risk serious fines, lawsuits and reputational damage.

From Europe’s GDPR to India’s DPDP and the expansion of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), governments are ramping up enforcement around how biometric data is collected, stored, and processed. For companies, this means understanding the difference between biometric methods isn't just a technical decision, but a legal one too.

So where does that leave authentication?

Right now, many companies are turning to biometrics as a more secure, user-friendly alternative to passwords and SMS OTPs. 

But not all biometric systems are equal in the eyes of regulators.

There are three main models:

As Gartner notes in its 2025 Innovation Insight for Biometric Authentication, decentralized models are the only ones that meet both regulatory expectations and user needs. They provide strong security, proven identity assurance, and built-in privacy protections.

For organizations navigating this new era, the choice is clear: authentication systems must evolve to preserve privacy without sacrificing accountability.

Our upcoming report dives deep into the differences between biometric models, the regulatory expectations shaping deployment, and how to choose an authentication system that won’t expose your business to compliance risk.

In 2026, privacy isn’t optional, it’s the foundation of trust.

Don’t miss our full analysis in The State of Authentication 2026, launching this October. The State of Authentication 2026 report will cover the five key forces reshaping authentication in the year ahead.