Identiv Expands NFC-Based Authentication Portfolio as Demand for Anti-Counterfeiting Tech Grows

Identiv has expanded its ID-Safe portfolio of near field communication (NFC) tags, positioning the technology as a tool to address ongoing concerns around product authentication, tampering, and traceability across industries including pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

The company said the expanded offering includes a broader range of tamper-evident and tamper-proof tags designed to verify product authenticity and detect interference throughout the supply chain lifecycle, improving traceability. The announcement reflects a wider industry push toward digitally enabled packaging and track-and-trace capabilities as counterfeit risks persist.

“Trust in physical products can’t be assumed anymore — it has to be verified. ID-Safe brings together secure NFC-based identity, tamper detection, and tamper-proof design to enable companies to confirm authenticity and product integrity at any point in the lifecycle, anywhere those interactions occur,” said Andreas Walsner, global vice president of Sales, Identiv, in a release.¹

How Do ID-Safe Tags Work?

According to the company, the ID-Safe tags combine near-field communication technology with advanced tamper-detection features. These include labels that can register when a package has been opened, as well as designs with destructible antennas intended to prevent reuse or product refilling. Some configurations also incorporate encrypted authentication chips to guard against cloning.¹

Each tag can be linked to cloud-based systems, effectively creating a “digital twin” of a product that can be verified at multiple points across manufacturing, logistics, and distribution.¹ Once tampering occurs, the tag records a permanent state change, such as a broken antenna, indicating that the product may have been compromised.

The company said the technology is designed to help mitigate issues such as counterfeiting, gray market diversion, and returns fraud, while also supporting compliance and recall processes.

“It’s a critical step toward making physical products more secure, traceable, and trusted,” Walsner said.¹

How Can ID-Safe Tags Improve Global Product Security?

The expansion comes amid sustained growth in the anti-counterfeiting pharmaceutical packaging market, where technologies such as radio frequency identification, NFC, and other digital tools are seeing increased adoption. Industry analyses estimate that the global market for anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging exceeded $100 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow steadily through the coming years, driven by regulatory requirements and increasing concerns around drug safety and supply chain integrity.²

Counterfeit medicines remain a significant global issue. The World Health Organization has estimated that at least 10% of medicines in low- and middle-income countries are substandard or falsified, underscoring the need for more robust authentication and traceability solutions.³

Within this broader context, NFC-based solutions are part of a growing shift toward smart packaging, where physical products are paired with digital identities to enhance visibility and trust. These systems can also support patient engagement, supply chain transparency, and regulatory compliance, particularly as serialization requirements continue to evolve across global markets.

Identiv noted that its ID-Safe products are already being deployed in other sectors, including an NFC-enabled anti-counterfeiting solution for luxury wine, developed in collaboration with ZATAP and Genuine-Analytics.¹ The company also indicated that the portfolio includes multiple configurations to accommodate different use cases, chip types, and form factors.

As pharmaceutical companies continue to prioritize supply chain security, solutions that integrate authentication, tamper detection, and digital traceability are expected to play an increasingly central role in safeguarding product integrity from manufacturing through the point of use.

References

1. Identiv expands ID-Safe NFC tag portfolio to enable secure product authentication, tamper detection, and traceability [press release]. Identiv; April 20, 2026. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.identiv.com/news/press-releases
2. Grand View Research. Anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging market size, share & trends analysis report. Published 2025. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/anti-counterfeit-pharmaceuticals-cosmetics-packaging-market
3. World Health Organization. Substandard and falsified medical products. Updated 2023. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/substandard-and-falsified-medical-products