The deployment integrates Sharry’s smart access and workplace experience platform with HID’s trusted identity solutions. At the credential layer, HID provides secure digital ID issuance and management, while Sharry serves as middleware connecting H-FARM’s identity management system with HID’s infrastructure and the campus Genetec access control system.

Students and staff can add their credentials to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet with a single tap inside the H-FARM app. From there, NFC-enabled access works across the entire campus, from student rooms to common areas and printer stations, with no need to open additional apps.

The uptake at H-FARM was immediate. Alberto Aldrigo, CTO at H-FARM, said that within just three minutes of receiving the activation notification, 70% of users had already enabled their virtual badge. “From the very beginning, we envisioned a campus where credentials would always be within reach, directly on a smartphone. With HID and Sharry, this vision has become a reality through a solution that is simple, secure and reliable,” Aldrigo said.

H-FARM College sits on the edge of the Venice lagoon and operates as an innovation ecosystem where education, startups and technology coexist on a single integrated campus. The institution already offered a campus app for maps, food ordering, payments and event updates. Adding wallet-based student IDs was a natural extension of that digital-first approach.

Matej Pokorn, Head of Customer Success at Sharry, highlighted the speed of the rollout. “What might have taken months was accomplished in just a few weeks, a testament to the shared vision and agility of everyone involved,” he said. “H-FARM sets a new benchmark for how campuses can modernize access and identity without compromising security.”

Dominic Bruning, Director of Strategic Alliances for Mobile, EMEA, at HID, described the deployment as “a strong example of what a truly digital campus can be: secure, mobile and frictionless by design.”

The project builds on an existing partnership between HID and Sharry, which has previously delivered wallet-based office access projects in the United States, the European Union and Latin America. The H-FARM deployment represents a significant step toward fully digital campuses in Europe, where identity, access and services converge in a single mobile-first experience.

For European universities exploring contactless campus access, the H-FARM implementation offers a practical reference point, demonstrating that NFC wallet-based credentials can be deployed quickly and at scale within a higher education environment.

The post HID and Sharry Debut Digital Wallet Student IDs in Europe with H-FARM College first appeared on RFID News.

What the Deal Brings

IDmelon specialises in software and hardware solutions that enable organisations to turn existing physical credentials (e.g., access cards), mobile devices or biometrics into enterprise-grade FIDO2 security keys. The value proposition is compelling: leverage existing identity infrastructure (cards, badges, mobile identifiers) rather than require full hardware replacement.

HID Global notes that by incorporating IDmelon into its portfolio, the company can offer a “simpler path to passwordless” authentication. As Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID, said:

“Users have become acutely aware of the problems with passwords. By adding IDmelon to the HID family, we now provide an easier path to passwordless.”

The deal also strengthens HID’s FIDO (Fast Identity Online) credentials and other passkey-based authentication offerings, adding depth to its identity and access management (IAM) solutions.

Strategic Rationale: Why It Matters

From an industry view, the acquisition addresses several major trends:

• Password fatigue & phishing risk: Many organisations are under pressure to move away from legacy passwords which are vulnerable to phishing, credential reuse and breach scenarios. FIDO2 and passkey-based authentication are increasingly seen as standards for phishing-resistant MFA.
• Convergence of physical & digital access: HID’s roots are in physical identity & access – badges, cards, RFID, access control. With this acquisition, HID can bridge physical access credentials and logical/digital authentication into a unified “credential” model (cards + mobile + biometrics). As commentary noted:“Turn any badge, any managed or unmanaged device into a FIDO token… without requiring user interaction.”
• Leveraging installed base: Many organisations already have HID or other vendor access-cards and badges in circulation. By enabling those cards (or devices) to act as FIDO2 security keys, HID removes the “rip & replace” barrier to adoption.
• Enterprise identity-first security posture: The move supports zero-trust identity frameworks and identity-centric security, aligning with demand for unified identity platforms across physical, logical, cloud access. 

Operational Details & Integration

As per the press release:

• IDmelon will become part of HID’s Identity and Access Management Solutions (IAMS) Business Area, managed through its Authentication Business Unit. 
• The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025. 

Moreover, HID highlights that this addition will help customers “maximise their existing hardware investments” by converting physical access cards into multi-use credentials (unifying physical and digital access).

Implications & Outlook

For the RFID / access-control ecosystem the acquisition may signal the following:

• Access-control vendors and identity firms will increasingly emphasise credential convergence, where one credential spans building access, computer login, cloud services, etc.
• Organisations with large badge/card fleets will now have a lower-friction path to deploy passwordless/logical access solutions without full reissuance of hardware.
• Competitive pressure may rise for other vendors to support similar “badge-to-passkey” conversions or bridge physical and logical identity infrastructures.
• The push aligns with broader market dynamics favouring standards like FIDO2 and passkeys as the next wave beyond traditional MFA.

HID Global’s acquisition of IDmelon represents a strategic acceleration into the passwordless authentication era, bridging its physical access heritage with modern digital identity demands. By leveraging existing credentials and enabling them as FIDO2 keys, HID is positioning itself to serve organisations seeking to reduce reliance on passwords, unify physical and digital identity, and deploy phishing-resistant authentication at scale.

For the RFID and access-control sector, this move underscores the shifting landscape where identity solutions are no longer siloed (physical vs digital) but increasingly converged. HID’s move could set a benchmark for how legacy access-control infrastructure evolves into identity-first architectures.

See HIDs Press Release for more information

The post HID Global to Acquire IDmelon — Pushing Deeper Into Passwordless Authentication first appeared on RFID News.

Bringing Vizinex into the HID family strengthens our position in the RFID market, especially in North America, this strategic acquisition exemplifies our commitment to extending our leadership in the RFID portfolio by providing a comprehensive suite of technology and services to customers across key markets.

Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID Global

Vizinex RFID provides high-quality standard and bespoke custom tags to clients that help create new efficiencies, save money and improve tracking, security and authentication. Vizinex’s expertise especially lies in delivering tailor-made RFID tags that are completely integrated into and compatible with different product designs. The applications can be tailored to suit critical attributes such as shape, dimension, frequency, and environmental tolerance (tolerant to, for example, repeated exposure to adverse temperatures). The tags are then manufactured in-house, in the US, using state-of-the-art, proven processes with short turnaround times.

Acquiring Vizinex is well aligned with HID Global Identification Technologies’ strategy of expanding our product offering, which with Vizinex now also will include a RFID product platform based on PCBA technology. In addition, it will increase our presence in key vertical markets as well as add complementary tag manufacturing footprint in the US. This acquisition, along with HID’s recent acquisition of Omni-ID, expands both our technology portfolio offering and our geographic reach as we strengthen our position as the global leader in RFID tag design and manufacturing.

Marc Bielmann, SVP and Head of IdentificationTechnologies, HID Global

Read more on the HID Global Press Release

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The post HID Global Acquires Vizinex RFID first appeared on RFID News.

“I’m very happy to see such a strong commitment from this well-established company to the development of its operations here in Ireland. Opening a Centre of Excellence as we emerge from a difficult period is a great achievement and signals a bright future for businesses both here in the West and across the country. I wish Trevor and his team every success.”

Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Galway West TD

The new centre is a massive 7,980 sqm and gives HID the capacity to grow in Galway, along side their ambitious plans with the facility allowing HID Global to improve efficiencies across operations and continue to deliver for a growing customer base across the world.

Ireland is a hugely important central hub for our operations, including the production of access and identification-related applications, such as electronic passports and access cards, which represent large and growing segments of HID’s business.”

Craig Sandness, Senior Vice President and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions

The new Mervue facility was also designed with sustainability in mind, ensuring that all elements of the building design play a role in supporting HID’s goal of becoming a net zero company by 2050, which demonstrates HIDs ethical commitment.

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If you have a story you think we would be interested in relating to RFID. A product launch, a new RFID technology or a successful RFID implementation project, please do not hesitate to send us your press release.

The post HID Global Open Centre of Excellence in Galway city first appeared on RFID News.