SMA-tech vendor adds TriCipher security to new ops platform. CheckFree Investment Services plans to use TriCipher’s authentication technology to provide authentication for financial-service professionals – particularly in the separately managed account (SMA) realm – accessing its EPL investment management, trading, portfolio performance and investor reporting platform.

"[Although] new regulations such as the recent [Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council] guidelines for multi-factor authentication will enhance adoption of strong authentication, market leaders like CheckFree Investment Services continue to stay ahead of the ever-evolving financial electronic commerce market," says TriCipher’s executive chairman Sandra Bergeron.

Due out this year

CheckFree says that EPL, which is being developed to replace the company’s APL platform, offers more robust multi-currency, trade-order management and cash-management and margin capabilities than its predecessor.

“CheckFree EPL will deliver a number of advantages to our investment marketplace clients, including multi-factor authentication, the strongest identity verification process currently available,” says Alex Marasco, CheckFree Investment Services general manager. “The addition of TriCipher's technology to our next-generation CheckFree EPL platform is consistent with our commitment to provide the highest levels of quality and innovation, while driving out costs through operational efficiencies for our customers.”

EPL was in the beta-testing phase as of a few months ago. It is scheduled to roll out later this year. Meanwhile APL remains the leading portfolio-management platform, providing connectivity to 90 SMA sponsors and 135 SMA managers, by CheckFree's count.

Jersey City, N.J.-based CheckFree Investment Services is a unit of Norcross, Ga.-based CheckFree Corporation. –FWR

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