Digital trust is the backbone of financial services. Whether it’s securing customer transactions, authenticating APIs, or enabling server-to-server communications, banks and financial institutions rely heavily on TLS certificates. But a significant policy change from Google Chrome’s Root Program—effective June 15, 2026—is about to shake up how TLS certificates are validated.
And if you’re in BFSI, this matters more than you think.
What’s Changing?
Google has announced that Chrome will no longer require or check for the id-kp-serverAuth EKU OID in server certificates during TLS handshakes. In other words, Chrome will completely ignore the Extended Key Usage (EKU) extension when validating TLS server certificates.
Why is Google doing this?
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To reduce risk in Web-PKI such that only dedicated TLS hierarchies are issuing public trust TLS certificates.
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To reduce service disruptions caused by certificates with improper or missing EKU values.
The official policy announcement is here: Google Chrome Root Policy Update
Why BFSI Should Pay Attention
For most websites, this may seem like a technical tweak. But for financial institutions—who rely on certificates for more than just browser-based scenarios—this could create disruptions.
Think about it:
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Mutual TLS (mTLS) → used in secure API transactions between banks and payment processors.
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API Authentication → the backbone of Open Banking and third-party integrations.
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Server-to-Server Communications → interbank messaging, clearinghouses, and regulatory reporting systems.
Many BFSI organizations still procure certificates from public Certificate Authorities (CAs) for these use cases. With Chrome’s policy shift, those certificates may no longer behave as expected in non-browser environments—leading to outages, failed authentications, or compliance risks.
The Way Forward: Private PKI and X9.417
The good news? There are proven pathways to ensure continuity:
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Adopt X9.417-Compliant Certificates
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The X9.417 standard defines a framework for inter-organizational certificate use in the financial industry.
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By aligning with this, BFSI organizations can ensure interoperability and compliance across ecosystems.
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Transition to Private PKI Trust Models
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Managed PKI-as-a-Service → outsource operations to a trusted provider like eMudhra, ensuring scalability and compliance.
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On-Premises PKI Deployment → tailor-made for BFSI institutions who want total control over their certificate infrastructure.
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At eMudhra, we’ve been helping financial institutions in over 25 countries move to resilient trust models—delivering crypto-agility, compliance with global standards, and seamless API security.
Regional Perspectives
Because regulations and risk appetites vary, the response to Chrome’s change will look different across regions:
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United States
Financial regulators and institutions will likely push for X9.417 adoption and tighter NIST alignment. For U.S. banks, this is about future-proofing APIs and Fed-compliant infrastructures. -
Europe
With eIDAS 2.0 and PSD2 already reshaping digital identity in BFSI, European banks must ensure their TLS infrastructure aligns with EU regulatory frameworks. Private PKI deployments integrated with eIDAS-trusted services will be the way forward. -
Middle East & Africa
BFSI in MEA is undergoing rapid digital transformation, often leapfrogging legacy infrastructure. Here, Chrome’s change is an opportunity to modernize with Private PKI from the ground up, aligned with local central bank directives. -
Asia-Pacific
In APAC, regulators (RBI in India, MAS in Singapore, etc.) are increasingly mandating strong authentication. Moving to Private PKI allows BFSI institutions to scale digital banking securely while meeting compliance obligations.
The Bigger Picture: Crypto-Agility & Trust
This isn’t just about Chrome. It’s about a broader trend:
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Crypto-agility → the ability to adapt quickly to changing cryptographic standards (think Post-Quantum Cryptography on the horizon).
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End-to-End CLM (Certificate Lifecycle Management) → automating issuance, renewal, and revocation to avoid outages.
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Resilient Trust Infrastructure → ensuring that critical BFSI communications remain secure, compliant, and interruption-free.
For BFSI leaders, the question isn’t “Do we need Private PKI?” It’s “How fast can we get there before 2026?”
How eMudhra Can Help
As a Global Trust Service Provider (TSP), Certified Public Certificate Authority (CA), and Managed PKI provider, eMudhra brings end-to-end capabilities to help BFSI organizations transition smoothly in light of Chrome’s EKU policy change.
We don’t just issue certificates — we design, deploy, and manage trust ecosystems at scale. Our offerings include:
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Private PKI Deployments (On-Premises or Managed)
Whether you want a fully controlled on-premises PKI for regulatory compliance or a flexible PKI-as-a-Service model, eMudhra ensures you have a scalable, resilient, and regulator-ready trust infrastructure. -
X9.417-Compliant Certificates
Tailored for BFSI and interbank transactions, our certificate offerings align with X9 standards to guarantee interoperability across financial networks. -
Certificate Lifecycle Management (CertiNext)
Automation-first, with crypto-agility built in. CertiNext helps banks and financial institutions eliminate outages, automate renewals, and prepare for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). -
Global BFSI Expertise
With deployments across North America, Europe, MEA, and APAC, eMudhra secures communications for some of the world’s largest banks, central banks, and payment processors.
Real-World Use Cases
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Global Financial Institution
Deployed eMudhra’s CLM platform to automate issuance and renewal of thousands of certificates, ensuring zero downtime for mission-critical banking operations. -
Central Bank in the Middle East
Implemented certificate automation for PKI in payments infrastructure, securing high-value transactions at national scale. -
Telecom Operator with BFSI Integrations
Automated thousands of renewals across application and infrastructure layers to prevent outages in API-driven payment flows. -
Defense-Grade Security Posture
Delivered PKI and CLM for a large defense force to enforce Zero Trust architectures — a model increasingly relevant for financial networks.
Why BFSI Institutions Trust eMudhra
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Recognized Global TSP and CA trusted across 100+ countries
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Proven expertise in BFSI-grade PKI and compliance mandates
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Automation-driven CLM to eliminate human error and downtime
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Crypto-agility to transition seamlessly into PQC-era standards
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Scalable Managed PKI services to reduce operational overhead
When certificates underpin the very trust fabric of BFSI, eMudhra ensures they remain invisible, reliable, and always compliant.
Chrome’s EKU policy change is coming. Is your BFSI institution ready?
Now is the time to evaluate your TLS strategy, transition to Private PKI, and embrace crypto-agility. Talk to eMudhra’s experts today and discover how we can future-proof your trust infrastructure before 2026.
