Security leaders are under pressure to modernise access and identity infrastructure, but an identity security product company’s research suggests they’re equally focused on governance, protection and transparency, according to the firm’s report.
HID’s 2026 State of Security and Identity Report suggests that businesses are dismantling the (artificial) boundary between physical and digital identity. Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at HID, said: โThe organizations succeeding in 2026 are those giving stakeholders meaningful solution choice while maintaining robust security.” The document concludes that identity management is part of an overall strategic foundation for businesses, particularly as AI fundamentally transforms threats and defence against those threats alike.
The report goes through seven trends:
- Identity management now dominates strategic planning
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73pc) identified identity management as a top priority, the highest category in the study. Organizations are moving beyond standalone credential systems toward unified identity governance that spans physical access and digital systems.ย The shift reflects a market-wide consensus: the question is no longer whether to consolidate identity platforms, but how to do it in ways that reduce friction, ensure compliance and deliver measurable return on investment (ROI).
- Mobile credentials have reached critical mass
Mobile credentials adoption is now driven by security improvements (50pc) rather than convenience (34pc), a notable shift as organizations recognize the protection advantages of mobile credentials. Hybrid credential environments remain standard, with 84pc of end users maintaining physical credentials within their mobile deployment, reflecting diverse user groups and operational needs that require flexibility over time.
- Biometrics are expanding beyond MFA (multi factor authentication) into core access control
Biometric technologies continue to gain traction (45pc view them as strategic), with fingerprint (71pc) and facial recognition (50pc) leading modalities. Yet, ethical and privacy concerns more than doubled year-over-year from 31pc to 67pc. This is driving organizations to implement safeguards and reinforces the need for transparency and compliance during deployment.
- Real-time location solutions (RTLS) are moving into mainstream use cases
RTLS adoption continues to expand, particularly in healthcare, manufacturing and logistics. About 42pc of end users identify RTLS as a strategic priority, while 40pc report active deployments. Yet barriers persist: costs (33pc), privacy concerns (29pc) and integration complexity (29pc) slow progress, while 38pc of partners report customers remain unfamiliar with RTLS capabilities, signaling substantial education needs.
- Physical and digital identity convergence is accelerating
Unified identity solutions are moving mainstream, with 75pc of organizations either having deployed (29pc) or actively evaluating (46pc) unified identity solutions. While single credentials spanning buildings, networks and applications deliver efficiency and stronger security, budget constraints (51pc), complexity (37pc), and expertise gaps (34pc) remain persistent barriers.
- RFID adoption continues to grow steadily
RFID is now infrastructure, not innovation. RFID adoption is growing steadily, with 54pc of respondents reporting active use for asset tracking, inventory management and loss prevention. Once viewed as niche technology, RFID is now increasingly treated as core infrastructure for asset visibility, inventory control and operational intelligence. Security leaders cite faster tracking (62pc) and improved visibility (41pc) as key benefits.
- Investment patterns are shifting decisively toward integrated platforms
The era of point solutions is ending. Organizations are prioritizing integrated identity and security platforms over standalone point solutions to improve visibility, efficiency, and resilience across increasingly complex environments. Yet integration complexity persists as the primary barrier (52pc for identity systems, 37pc for physical-digital convergence).
About the firm
Based in Austin, Texas, HID is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand; visit www.hidglobal.com.
