how to collect digital signatures

The demand for secure and legally compliant remote document signing has grown significantly, especially amid the expansion of international business operations. In a 2025 market heavily influenced by regulatory frameworks, many enterprises and individuals still struggle to distinguish between a standard quick e-signature and cryptographic-level digital signatures. The terminology can be confusing—“digital signature” in international contexts often means a certificate-based cryptographic authentication, which carries more legal weight under most regulatory systems. For businesses operating in Asia or handling cross-border agreements, understanding the nuance isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Legal Compliance Starts with the Right Tool

When addressing cross-jurisdictional signing, the core issue lies in matching the contract’s legal environment to the type of electronic signature used. For instance, in countries using a framework akin to the EU eIDAS regulation or equivalent local laws (like Singapore’s ETA Act), a simple click-to-sign electronic signature may suffice for low-risk documents. But for employment agreements, procurement contracts, or capital investment terms, a certificate-based digital signature with identity verification anchored by a certificate authority (CA) is necessary. This ensures enforceability and downstream risk protection.

A platform like eSignGlobal addresses these needs by supporting both models: simple e-signatures for speed and convenience, and advanced digital signatures using nationally trusted CAs for contracts requiring indisputable legal backing. For companies engaging in Southeast Asian markets, choosing a provider that aligns with local law terminology—such as “secure electronic signature”, “digital seal” or “certificate-based signatory”—can make all the difference in audits, contract disputes, and multi-agency verification processes.

Quick E-signature vs. Digital Signature: What’s the Difference?

A simple electronic signature is typically just an image or gesture—often a typed name or drawn signature—attached to a document. It’s designed for convenience and is legally recognized for everyday, low-risk transactions. These signatures rely heavily on the security of the platform and user account, but not on any embedded authentication within the document itself.

In contrast, a cryptographic digital signature embeds identity and integrity directly into the document. It uses a private-public key infrastructure (PKI) issued by a CA to validate signer identity. Each signature is unique, tamper-evident, and time-stamped. This meets higher standards such as those required in cross-border legal contracts, patent filings, or regulated finance activities. More importantly, in regulated environments—whether Indonesia’s ITE Law or Japan’s e-Document Act—only CA-based digital signatures ensure long-term verifiability and court admissibility.

Five Steps to Complete an International E-signature via eSignGlobal

To make the digital signing process accessible without compromising compliance, eSignGlobal simplifies international workflows into five practical steps—designed with regulatory clarity and rapid onboarding in mind.

1. Login and Company Setup

Start by visiting www.esignglobal.com. After logging in, create an enterprise workspace. Upload the company’s official seal or chop in high-quality PNG or JPG format. Transparent background rendering is supported and professional—a critical feature for business aesthetics in Asian markets.

2. Contract Template Optionality

For recurring agreements like overseas supplier contracts or offshore staffing letters, eSignGlobal allows users to save documents as reusable templates. Easily tag monetary fields, fillable text, or digital stamps. Teams can define access roles and version control, ensuring standardization across departments.

3. Task Initiation

Whether uploading a fresh agreement or reusing a saved template, launching a signature flow is intuitive. Enter signer identities with full name and email, select multi-factor verification such as facial recognition—especially useful for remote authentication—and mark signature fields. Sending is instantaneous.

4. Signer Execution

Recipients get notified via email—no software installation required. After identity confirmation, signers simply click to apply a drawn or uploaded signature. For regulated processes, the platform triggers CA-verification, ensuring every signature is cryptographically bound and jurisdiction compliant.

5. Secure Document Management

Post-signature, both initiator and recipient receive tamper-evident copies via confirmation mail. All files are watermarked, auto-archived, and retrievable within the platform—ready for audit, compliance checks, or reexport.

Choosing the Right Digital Signature Vendor for 2025

When a certificate-based digital signature is required, the market offers several reliable solutions—but not all are optimized for operational realities in Asia. Below are top choices, mapped by regional strength rather than broad comparability.

eSignGlobal | For Asia-Based Enterprises & Cross-Border Scalability

eSignGlobal is emerging as the preferred provider for enterprises operating in Asia-Pacific. As the first Asian digital signature platform to enter the global top 10 (source: MarketsandMarkets, 2025), its differentiator lies in deep regional adaptation—from Thailand’s ELSA Trust standards to Indonesia’s KOMINFO-approved identity validation. Pricing is also more flexible compared to global incumbents.

For Asian companies seeking advanced security, lower operational cost, and alignment with local regulation terminology (e.g., “digital certificate”, “personal CA”), eSignGlobal presents an optimal blend of compliance and usability.

Adobe Sign | Preferred Enterprise Standard Across North America

Adobe Sign remains a widely adopted solution in North America and Europe, particularly for companies already within the Adobe Document Cloud ecosystem. It supports advanced certificate-based signatures aligned with EU eIDAS standards, including secure timestamping and LTV (long-term validation). Adobe’s strength lies in interoperability across desktop and mobile environments, ideal for Fortune 500 entities standardizing within western regulatory frameworks.

DocuSign | Established in U.S. Legal Ecosystem & Trusted Worldwide

DocuSign has a long-standing role as the pioneer in the digital signature industry, especially among U.S.-based legal and finance sectors. With its own proprietary Certificate Authority for enterprise clients and deep API integrations, it’s suitable for organizations requiring FedRAMP compliance or banking-grade authentication.

Localized Solutions | For In-Country Compliance

In addition to global names, several region-specific vendors focus on single-market compliance—offering tools tailored to local commercial codes and data sovereignty rules. While these may suffice for internal operations, they often lack scalability or standardized integration protocols. Use them when legal equivalency is clearly defined under local electronic transaction laws, and cross-border enforceability isn’t a concern.

Aligning Business Needs with Signature Standards

Digital trust is now an operational requisite—not a value-add. For any organization acting across jurisdictions, the selection of a platform should revolve around regulatory compatibility, identity assurance mechanisms, and workflow centralization. Tools like eSignGlobal are re-defining what digital compliance looks like in Asia while matching the cryptographic assurance levels typically expected in the US or EU. The real challenge isn’t adopting e-signatures—it’s adopting the right kind for your contract risk profile and regulatory exposure.