Blockchain-enabled payments and ID platform Nuggets has been selected as a finalist in the MoneyAge Awards, and has been shortlisted for three Payments Awards. The selections mean Nuggets is competing alongside major brands like HSBC, RBS and Mastercard.

Nuggets is up against HSBC and Mastercard in the Payments Award for ‘Best Use of Biometrics’. In the MoneyAge Awards, it is nominated alongside an RBS team for ‘Innovation in Consumer Finance’.

The fast-growing start-up has also been shortlisted in the Payments Awards ‘Anti-Fraud or Security Solution of the Year – Consumer’ and ‘Blockchain Initiative of the Year’ categories.

Alastair Johnson, CEO and Founder of Nuggets, said; “It’s great to be recognized by MoneyAge and Payments in this way, especially as this puts us on a par with market-leading global companies like HSBC, Mastercard and RBS.“Being shortlisted against companies with far greater resources is powerful proof from independent experts that we can deliver a long-overdue revolution in digital payments.”

Nuggets offers users a single biometric tool for login, payment and identity verification – without sharing or storing personal data. By keeping users’ data secure in the blockchain, Nuggets makes transactions simpler and safer. At the same time, it saves companies from the complex, costly task of storing valuable customer information and the associated risk of damaging data breaches.

The company recently announced a partnership with QFPay, the Chinese payment provider used by WeChat (800 million users) and Alipay (400 million users). QFPay has processed over $30 billion through these two channels over the past six years – making this partnership hugely significant in driving  international adoption of the Nuggets platform.

Nuggets has also recently partnered with e-commerce market force Storiqa, as well as receiving public backing from the UK Department for International Trade, The Mayor of London and The City of London.

The MoneyAge Awards winners will be announced at a celebratory gala dinner in October and the Payments Awards winner will be announced at a similar event in November.