BIO-key Secures Another Middle East Government Contract for its Passwordless, Biometric, Identity and Access Management Solutions

Deployment represents BIO-key’s 7th new customer in the Gulf region in the past 6 months

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia and HOLMDEL, N.J., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BIO-key International, Inc. (Nasdaq: BKYI), a global provider of Identity and Access Management (IAM) and biometric authentication solutions, today announced that a new Middle East government institution has selected BIO-key to modernize and strengthen access security while simplifying the authentication experience for its workforce through the deployment of its PortalGuard^® enterprise IAM platform and biometric authentication technologies.

A deeply security-conscious organization within a Gulf region national government is utilizing BIO-key’s solution to replace legacy authentication methods with secure, passwordless biometric authentication, reducing the risk of credential compromise while improving operational efficiency. As is often the case in high-level IT security deployments, the customer required that its identity not be disclosed.

The implementation includes BIO-key’s award-winning PortalGuard^® platform, Passkey:YOU™ FIDO2 passwordless authentication, WEB-key biometric authentication engine, and EcoID III enterprise fingerprint scanners to provide a fully integrated Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB) solution. Together, these technologies provide phishing-resistant authentication by binding digital identity directly to the individual rather than to a device, password, or token which pose far greater risk of compromise.

The solution is being delivered in partnership with VaporVM, a strategic integration partner in the Gulf region. VaporVM provides local implementation, deployment, and ongoing technical services to ensure seamless integration and long-term operational success.

Following the recent addition of a government security agency customer, this deployment demonstrates growing traction in BIO-key’s expansion across the Middle East, where governments and critical infrastructure organizations are accelerating investments in digital identity, Zero Trust security, and passwordless authentication as part of broader digital transformation initiatives.

“Security and operational efficiency were our highest priorities throughout this project, and BIO-key delivered a solution that met the exacting standards required by our organization,” commented a senior technical official at the institution. “The transition to biometric authentication has been seamless for our users, and we now have a level of identity assurance and access control that gives us complete confidence in our security environment.”

“This deployment demonstrates BIO-key’s ability to meet the demanding security requirements of highly security conscious organizations,” said Fadi Al Otaibi, Senior Director at VaporVM. “We believe this project will serve as a strong reference for additional government agencies and enterprise organizations looking to modernize their identity infrastructure with passwordless biometric authentication.”

“We are active in one of the world’s most ambitious markets for digital transformation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence,” said Alex Rocha, Managing Director, BIO-key. “Being selected by an institution with such demanding security requirements is an important validation of BIO-key’s technology and our Identity-Bound Biometrics strategy. We are honored by the trust placed in our technology and team and look forward to supporting more organizations across the Gulf region as they strengthen identity security and accelerate their digital transformation initiatives.”

About BIO-key International (www.bio-key.com)
BIO-key International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI) is a global provider of Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions that secure access for enterprises, government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, manufacturers, and educational institutions worldwide. Its PortalGuard platform delivers Single Sign-On, adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication, passwordless authentication, Identity-Bound Biometrics, identity lifecycle management, and secure access capabilities that help organizations strengthen security while improving user productivity across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments.

BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement
All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “intends,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions, and information currently available and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include those described under the caption “Risk Factors” in BIO-key’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and in subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Except as required by law, BIO-key undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Engage with BIO-key

Investor Contacts
William Jones, David Collins
Catalyst IR
BKYI@catalyst-ir.com or 212-924-9800