Persona has raised $200m in a Series D funding round as it aims to build what it describes as the “verified identity layer” for an increasingly AI-driven internet.

The round, which values the San Francisco-based company at $2bn, was co-led by Founders Fund and Ribbit Capital.

It was also joined by the company’s existing backers such as Coatue, BOND, First Round Capital, and Index Ventures alongside Chemistry.

Coatue co-founder Thomas Laffont said: “Identity is a foundational mega-trend driving digital transformation, and we’ve believed from day one that Persona would power this shift through its software-native solution.

“With the rise of AI agents, it’s critical to verify the identity — whether person or bot — behind every online interaction. Rick and the Persona team have both the vision and the ambition to build the platform that will help to lead this transformation.”

The company’s verified identity platform offers necessary tools for businesses to securely collect, verify, manage, and make decisions about identities.

For businesses, Persona’s platform provides a foundation that can accommodate shifting regulations, risk models, and customer experiences.

The platform, for individuals, offers the prospect of a reusable identity that can be carried across different services. This helps in simplifying the process of providing sensitive information while prioritising privacy and consent.

Additionally, the platform offers configurability and privacy-first approach, which allows it to adapt to changing regulations, fraud patterns, and expanding use cases.

This flexibility is crucial in an environment where identity verification requirements are constantly evolving, the company said.

Persona’s offering includes automation and orchestration tools that streamline the entire identity verification process.