The evolution of identity verification technology has been driven by the need to combat increasingly sophisticated fraud, particularly in the fintech industry. As personal information becomes more readily available on social media, complex anti-fraud measures are necessary to maintain a quality user experience. Plaid's identity verification platform has become one of the industry's most trusted solutions, leveraging a range of data points and combining it with downstream capabilities for account linking, funding, and payments. The company is now expanding its network effect by developing innovative verification solutions and exploring new technologies such as verifiable credentials and Worldcoin to fight fraud. AI-powered authentication methods also pose new challenges, and Plaid's expertise in creating a "network effect" is being leveraged to improve anti-fraud measures.