Bitwarden announced the acquisition of Passwordless.dev, a European-based open source startup that enables developers to create passkeys and other forms of WebAuthn passwordless experiences quickly. A core part of the FIDO2 specification, WebAuthn is a modern open authentication standard supported by browsers and technology giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple.

This acquisition comes on the heels of a $100M funding round and allows Bitwarden to equip customers with a strong WebAuthn framework from which to develop custom features and deliver world-class passwordless user experiences. Lightweight and open source, Passwordless.dev integrates easily with existing systems and allows developers to bring WebAuthn to users in only a few lines of code. For enterprises seeking to modernize existing internal applications with passwordless authentication, Passwordless.dev cuts down on cost and complexity, offering a turnkey and agile solution.

"Most companies want to invest in passwordless solutions such as Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello, and other forms of web authentication to create better user experiences and stronger security," said Michael Crandell, CEO of Bitwarden. "Passwordless.dev lets developers and companies accelerate passwordless innovation by simplifying development efforts into a single API."

"Customers want passwordless authentication solutions that are unique to their companies and end users, but building differentiated experiences is resource intensive," said Anders Åberg, founder of Passwordless.dev. "In this race towards secure online experiences with the power of FIDO2 to mitigate common attack vectors, Bitwarden and Passwordless.dev will make passwordless more accessible for everyone."

Beta program launch

As part of this announcement, Bitwarden is pleased to launch the Bitwarden Passwordless.dev beta, available immediately. To get started, visit: https://www.passwordless.dev/