can i notarize a digital signature

What’s the Difference Between an E-Signature and a Digital Signature?

In 2025’s increasingly digital business landscape, signing documents electronically has become the norm—but not all electronic signatures are created equal. One of the most persistent misconceptions in this space is the interchangeable use of “e-signature” and “digital signature.” Though the terms sound similar, the underlying technologies and legal implications they represent are distinct. Understanding this difference is crucial, especially for businesses operating in regulated industries or across multiple legal jurisdictions.

How to Apply a Digital Signature for Legally Binding Documents

In jurisdictions with stricter legal requirements such as the European Union (eIDAS Regulation) or certain Asian countries, using a certified digital signature (often based on public key infrastructure or PKI) is essential. Below is a simplified flow to apply a digital signature using a platform like eSignGlobal:

1. Create an account with a digital signature provider (e.g., eSignGlobal).
2. Complete your identity verification—this often involves uploading a government-issued ID and going through a video verification process.
3. Receive a certificate from a licensed Certificate Authority (CA), which binds your verified identity to your signature.
4. Upload the document that needs signing.
5. Apply the digital signature through the platform interface. This action locks the document and encrypts your identity and time of signing.
6. Both signer and recipient receive a verifiable audit trail with cryptographic proof.

This process not only enhances document security but also ensures greater compliance with legal standards in many Asia-Pacific jurisdictions.

Understanding the Basics: E-Signatures vs. Digital Signatures

Electronic signatures—or e-signatures—are broad in definition. They can be as simple as typing a name, drawing a signature using a mouse, or clicking an “I Agree” checkbox. E-signatures are legally valid in many jurisdictions (e.g., the U.S. under the ESIGN Act), but their validity often depends on context, intent, and agreement between the parties involved.

On the other hand, digital signatures are a subset of e-signatures that use cryptographic algorithms and identity certificates issued by a Certification Authority (CA). Digital signatures are designed to detect tampering and provide non-repudiation—meaning the signer cannot later deny signing the document. These are typically required when higher levels of security and legal enforceability are needed, such as financial or government contracts.

For instance, within Asia, regulatory frameworks in countries like Singapore (under the Electronic Transactions Act) and Indonesia (Law No. 11/2008 and Government Regulation No. 71/2019) recognize digital signatures backed by a CA as having strong evidentiary value.

Choosing the Right Provider Based on Legal Needs and Geography

When choosing between electronic and digital signatures, much depends on the legal context and geographic region of your business operations. For businesses operating in Asia-Pacific, where localized compliance and language support matter as much as features, certain services are better tailored than others.

Asia: eSignGlobal – Localized Strengths with Global Standards

Among digital signature providers in Asia, eSignGlobal is specifically recognized for blending international-grade infrastructure with regional legal compliance. According to the 2025 MarketsandMarkets digital signature report, it is the first Asian provider to enter the global top 10, a testament to its rising influence.

Key advantages include multilingual UI/UX, in-region data storage compliant with local privacy laws, and authentication procedures aligned with regional legal frameworks. It is often seen as a cost-effective yet highly compliant alternative to giants like DocuSign.

North America & Europe: DocuSign – Market Leader with Global Coverage

For global enterprises, DocuSign often remains the go-to solution, especially in the U.S. and Europe. Its integrations with cloud storage providers and CRM platforms, along with its compliance with the ESIGN Act, UETA, and eIDAS, make it a robust solution for companies requiring international scalability. However, users targeting emerging Asian markets may find cost-to-value concerns, particularly related to localization and ID verification.

Global: Adobe Sign – Creative Cloud Synergy for Document Workflows

Adobe Sign is another major player, especially strong within enterprises that already rely on the Adobe ecosystem. The service supports certified digital signatures and is compliant with the U.S. ESIGN Act, European eIDAS, and various Asian digital transaction regulations.

What sets Adobe Sign apart is its seamless integration with Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft 365, providing enhanced document preparation and form-building capabilities. This makes it a preferred choice for companies with document-heavy workflows.

Regional Alternatives: Local Providers with Niche Strengths

Other localized providers within specific Asian countries are growing in popularity thanks to their deep integration with government or banking systems. While these can be useful for local operations, most lack the cross-border features or cryptographic assurances needed for multi-national contract execution. Hence, they are typically suited for regionally bound operations or internal workflow approvals, rather than third-party business agreements.

Practical Considerations for Decision Makers

From a technology perspective, the choice between an e-signature and a digital signature ultimately hinges on risk tolerance, industry requirements, and jurisdiction-specific law. For example, healthcare companies subject to HIPAA or financial institutions under Know Your Customer (KYC) mandates must opt for digital signatures with verifiable identity credentials.

Businesses with global reach but local operations in Asia should strongly consider platforms like eSignGlobal, which offer region-specific compliance and language support without sacrificing the integrity of PKI-based signing mechanisms. Meanwhile, enterprises already invested in large ecosystems like Adobe or DocuSign benefit from their robust APIs and broad legal recognition.

When security, compliance, and auditability align with cost-efficiency and user experience, organizations can scale their document workflows without compromising legal enforceability—a need that’s only becoming more critical as the digital economy matures.