Unico signs agreement to acquire Valida, advancing its entry into Argentina

Palo Alto, September 10, 2026 — Unico, Latin America's leading identity verification network, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Valida, an Argentine biometric identity verification platform with an established presence in the country's banking sector. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Once completed, the deal will mark Unico's entry into the Argentine market, consolidating Unico's expansion strategy across Latin America.

The acquisition accelerates Unico's absolute leadership in identity verification across Latin America, building on its large-scale operations in Brazil and Mexico as well as its client base in other countries throughout the region. The choice of Valida follows a hypergrowth strategy: entering a key market by absorbing an already established infrastructure. With Valida holding a 50% market share in the Argentine banking sector, Unico secures immediate penetration and the capacity to scale rapidly to serve regional clients.

The timing is especially critical for the digital identity sector. According to the Identity Fraud Intelligence Report, a study published by Unico in partnership with consultancy Liminal, sophisticated fraud — combining deepfakes, video injection and physical manipulation — already accounts for 23% of attacks recorded globally, while the cost of executing an advanced fraud attempt has dropped more than a hundredfold over the past year, driven by the availability of generative AI tools through subscription-based models. According to the same study, fraud losses at financial institutions are expected to grow more than 120% by 2030, from roughly US$25 billion in 2025 to US$55.3 billion by the end of the decade. In Latin America, sophisticated fraud attempts alone grew 1,000% in 2025, confirming that the region is at the center of this escalation.

"This is a moment when fraud is advancing at an accelerated pace across the region, and this acquisition consolidates our leadership in Argentina as one more natural step in our expansion strategy across Latin America. We recognize the strength of Argentina's financial sector, and we're here to build alongside those who have already earned the trust of banks and businesses in the country, adding scale and local presence," said Luis Felipe Monteiro, Unico's LatAm CEO.

"We chose Unico for its financial strength, regional presence and long-term vision for the Latin American market. This alliance gives us the scale to keep growing alongside our customers and maintaining the way we currently operate," added José Rolandi, CEO and co-founder of Valida.

Founded in Brazil in 2007, Unico became a Brazilian unicorn in 2021, following investment rounds led by SoftBank, General Atlantic and Goldman Sachs that valued the company at more than US$2.6 billion. The company handles identity verification for four of Brazil's five largest banks, including Itaú, Bradesco and Santander, and today operates in more than 20 countries, with offices in São Paulo, Mexico City and a newly opened Silicon Valley headquarters.

Unico was named the third most innovative company in Latin America in Fast Company's 2024 ranking and has been part of the World Economic Forum's Global Innovators community since 2022 — recognitions that reflect an innovation culture now extending into Argentina's tech ecosystem, respected for its dynamism and technical talent. The Valida acquisition adds to a recent track record of international expansion that includes the acquisitions of Trully.AI in Mexico and Oz Forensics in the United Arab Emirates, both in 2024, and OwnID in Israel in 2025.

In the first half of 2026, Unico posted a 41% increase in consolidated global revenue year-over-year, with transaction volume on the platform growing 68% over the period. International revenue jumped 56% for the half, led by Mexico, where transaction volume grew 200% compared to the second half of 2025. The company maintains its growth outlook for 2026.

In addition to the acquisition, Unico also announced plans to establish its own office in Argentina, which will serve as a hub of technical talent in the region — reinforcing the company's commitment to expanding its presence and creating skilled jobs in the country.

‍

About Unico

Unico is the leading identity verification network in Latin America and a global provider of trust infrastructure. Using proprietary facial biometrics and machine learning technology, Unico eliminates fraud and protects digital transactions for a safer, more efficient world. For more information, visit www.unico.io.

‍