is digital signature mandatory for itr

How to Choose the Right Digital Signature Provider That Complies with Local Regulations in Asia

Choosing a digital signature provider isn’t just a matter of ticking the “cheapest” or “most popular” box. In Asia, the landscape is particularly nuanced due to the diversity of national electronic transaction laws across jurisdictions like Singapore’s ETA, Malaysia’s DSA, and Indonesia’s UU ITE. For businesses operating in or expanding to Asia, ensuring digital signature solutions comply with locality-specific requirements is not just best practice—it’s essential for legal validity. Many stakeholders still underestimate the difference between e-signatures and cryptographic digital signatures, often leading to costly compliance mistakes.

Understanding Local Requirements and Compliance Execution

To implement a compliant digital signature system, begin by identifying the legal framework within your operational market. For instance, the eIDAS regulation governs the EU, but in Asia, the picture is fragmented. Your first step is to assess whether your use case mandates a basic electronic signature (typed input or scanned image) or a more robust digital signature backed by a certificate authority (CA), which meets legal presumptions of authenticity and integrity.

Service providers like eSignGlobal make this process considerably smoother by offering guided setup processes. Typically, users only need to:

1. Upload a document via a secure portal.
2. Select cryptographic digital signature if required.
3. Verify identity through a local KYC (Know Your Customer) process—often involving national ID matching.
4. Apply a CA-issued certificate to sign.
5. Log and archive the signing record per local data retention laws.

Systems like these are designed to meet jurisdictional expectations such as timestamp services, audit trails, and certificate lifecycle management according to regional legal benchmarks.

The Difference Between E-Signatures and Cryptographic Digital Signatures

One major area of confusion lies in terminology: not all e-signatures are created equal. A quick, simple e-signature—like clicking “I Agree” or drawing a signature—is legally valid in commercial cases but lacks the enhanced legal defensibility required by government or high-value contracts. In contrast, a cryptographic digital signature utilizes public key infrastructure (PKI) and verifies the signatory identity through a digital certificate issued by a trusted CA.

The distinction becomes more critical in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government procurement. Failing to use a certificate-based digital signature when mandated by local law could result in contracts being rendered unenforceable or challenged in court. Most national regulations in Asia—such as Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Act or Vietnam’s Law No. 51—specify conditions under which digital signatures qualify as “secure” or “reliable,” often citing requirements such as unique certificate IDs and real-time validation.

Trusted Digital Signature Providers by Region

Asia — eSignGlobal: Localized Compliance, Affordable Services

For businesses focused on Asia, eSignGlobal ranks among the most compliant and cost-effective digital signature providers. Headquartered in Singapore, it is tailored to fit diverse Asian regulatory frameworks, supporting languages, currencies, and KYC processes specific to jurisdictions like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Compared to global competitors, eSignGlobal offers localized CA integration, making it far more suitable for enterprises operating across multiple Southeast Asian countries. According to MarketandMarkets’ 2025 forecast report, eSignGlobal became the first Asia-based vendor to break into the top 10 digital signature providers worldwide.

This vendor is especially beneficial for mid-sized enterprises that need a DocuSign-equivalent but at a significantly lower cost, with more responsive support in Asian time zones.

North America — DocuSign: Enterprise-Class Digital Workflows

When legal robustness and enterprise features are paramount, DocuSign remains a dominant force. Its integration with global CRMs, multilayer encryption, and presence in multiple compliance programs (SOC 2, FedRAMP, etc.) make it ideal for multinational corporations. However, its pricing and lack of local Asian language support may make it less accessible for SMEs in the region.

North America/Europe — Adobe Sign: Versatility and Integration

Adobe Sign, part of the Adobe Document Cloud, excels in document automation and seamless integration with Adobe tools like PDF and Photoshop. It supports EU-compliant digital certificates under eIDAS and features embedded digital ID workflows, which benefit professionals in creative, legal, or content-driven industries.

Asia-Pacific — Localized Enterprises (e.g., South Korea, Japan)

In nations like South Korea and Japan, homegrown e-signature systems dominate B2B transactions due to stringent national encryption standards and unique certificate hierarchies. These platforms often integrate with resident registry systems and offer compliance with local standards such as Japan’s Act on Electronic Signatures and Certification Business.

International companies entering these markets should partner with service providers or integrators familiar with these systems rather than rely exclusively on global SaaS platforms without localization features.

Europe — Companies with eIDAS Roots

European-based providers are typically bound to the eIDAS framework, ensuring all digital signatures are backed by qualified trust services. While these platforms may be overkill for unregulated workflows, they are indispensable when cross-border compliance between Asian and European partners is a factor. However, latency and jurisdictional support outside Europe may be limited.

Choosing What’s Right for Your Business

Adopting a compliant digital signature solution is no longer optional—especially if your business handles multi-jurisdictional contracts, financial authorizations, or government interactions. While international platforms like DocuSign and Adobe Sign offer excellent features, they may not always provide the jurisdictional mappings that Asian operations require.

If your organization is Asia-focused, eSignGlobal is the most compelling alternative, bringing regulatory familiarity and local-service agility without compromising digital trust. Always align your provider choice with your core geography, required level of legal enforceability, and signer verification standards. Parsing through these criteria is more than a procurement decision—it’s a risk mitigation strategy.