HYPR Expands Global Footprint with New European Hub Amid Surging Demand for Identity Assurance

As cyber threats intensify and identity vulnerabilities continue to drive major breaches, HYPR is betting big on global expansion to meet escalating market needs. The Identity Assurance Company announced the opening of a European Center of Excellence in Belgrade, Serbia, marking a major step forward in its international growth strategy. HYPR also elevated longtime executive Douglas McLaughlin to Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, signaling an aggressive push to scale operations amid skyrocketing demand for its passwordless authentication and identity verification technologies.

The move comes as organizations worldwide grapple with a rising tide of identity-related breaches. HYPR’s 2025 State of Passwordless Identity Assurance Report, produced with S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research, paints a stark picture: nearly half of organizations suffered a breach last year, with 87% tied directly to identity vulnerabilities. Each breach, on average, cost organizations $2.5 million and left lasting operational and leadership fallout.

But the data underscores a deeper shift underway. For the first time, FIDO passkeys and hardware security keys are poised to become the dominant authentication standard by 2027, pointing to a long-overdue transition away from legacy credential systems.

Compounding the urgency, nearly 40% of surveyed organizations reported a GenAI-driven security incident in the past year, while 95% faced some form of deepfake attack—through manipulated images, audio, or video—exposing new fault lines in traditional identity verification methods.

Strategic Expansion in Europe

HYPR’s Belgrade expansion aims to tackle this mounting crisis head-on, bolstering its ability to deliver localized support while tapping into Serbia’s growing reputation as a technical talent hub. “Our new Belgrade office represents a strategic investment in HYPR’s future,” said Bojan Simic, co-founder, CEO, and CTO of HYPR. “As threats like sophisticated phishing campaigns and the alarming trend of North Korean hackers infiltrating IT departments continue to make headlines, organizations worldwide are recognizing that robust identity assurance is non-negotiable. We’re actively hiring across multiple functions in both the US and internationally to meet this surging demand.”

The Belgrade Center of Excellence will support key sectors—particularly financial services and healthcare—where the stakes are especially high. HYPR's Affirm solution, combining advanced identity verification with its signature passwordless platform, has seen sharp uptake across both enterprises and SMBs. Affirm addresses critical challenges such as preventing fake employee onboarding, securing account recovery workflows, and protecting high-value transactions, offering a full-spectrum identity assurance model that many organizations now see as essential.

According to HYPR’s latest research, identity verification tools have become the most widely deployed IAM (Identity and Access Management) solution at 63%, and a top choice for organizations implementing post-breach upgrades.

Leadership for a New Phase of Growth

Driving this expansion is the newly promoted McLaughlin, who has been central to HYPR’s rapid climb over the past six years. As SVP of Worldwide Sales, he will oversee a global sales strategy increasingly focused on helping customers move beyond legacy credentials toward end-to-end identity security.

“Doug has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and an unwavering commitment to our customers’ success,” said Simic. “His deep understanding of the evolving threat landscape and ability to translate our technical innovations into tangible business value for customers makes him the ideal leader to scale our global sales operations. This promotion reflects not only Doug’s individual achievements but also our company’s commitment to recognizing and elevating top talent.”

McLaughlin has earned customer loyalty by shepherding complex digital identity transformations, working with major banks, healthcare giants, and credit unions to modernize their authentication systems. Under his leadership, HYPR has expanded its channel partnerships and extended its reach into new verticals, a strategy that will be critical as passwordless adoption accelerates globally.

The Race to Secure Digital Identity

With identity now firmly established as the front line of cybersecurity defense—and traditional credentials increasingly viewed as a liability—HYPR’s latest moves suggest the company is positioning itself to dominate a critical, fast-evolving market.

As organizations rearchitect their defenses in the face of AI-driven threats and deepfake tactics, the race to deliver secure, user-friendly identity assurance is only just heating up. HYPR’s blend of technical innovation, strategic global expansion, and experienced leadership could be what separates tomorrow’s winners from the next round of breach victims.