What Is e-evidence — and Why It Matters for Digital Platforms
When we talk about trust in the digital economy, one concept keeps coming back: e-evidence.
You may have seen the term used in legal, regulatory, or compliance contexts — but what does e-evidence actually mean, and why is it increasingly important for digital platforms?
What Is e-evidence?
e-evidence (electronic evidence) refers to digital information that can be used to prove facts, actions, or identities.
In simple terms, it answers questions like:
- Who is this person or business?
- Where are they located?
- What activity took place — and when?
e-evidence can be generated by everyday digital interactions and systems, such as:
- account registrations
- logins and IP addresses
- payment flows
- identity and business verification checks
- system logs and audit trails
It is not created for one specific regulation — it is a by-product of operating digitally.
Where Is e-evidence Used?
e-evidence plays a role in many areas, including:
- Fraud prevention – detecting fake accounts, impersonation, or abuse
- Money laundering prevention (AML) – understanding who you are dealing with and how funds move
- Dispute resolution – showing what happened and when
- Regulatory compliance – demonstrating that obligations were met
- Trust & safety – protecting platforms, users, and marketplaces
In Europe, e-evidence is increasingly discussed in the context of cross-border cooperation, where authorities need reliable digital information to enforce laws consistently.
Why e-evidence Is Becoming More Important
Digital platforms operate across borders, often at large scale.
At the same time, regulators, banks, and partners expect platforms to be able to explain and justify:
- who their users are
- how identities were verified
- how transactions were processed
- and where activity took place
This is why the focus is shifting from “collecting data” to collecting verifiable, consistent, and defensible data. That verifiable layer is e-evidence.
e-evidence Starts With Knowing Your Users
One of the strongest forms of e-evidence is verified identity and business data.
When platforms:
- verify individuals and businesses
- validate tax IDs and registration details
- link payment accounts to real entities
- keep structured records of these checks
they create a trusted base of suppliers or users.
This is valuable far beyond any single regulation:
- it reduces fraud risk
- supports AML obligations
- improves platform integrity
- and simplifies future compliance requirements
How e-evidence Relates to DAC7 (One Example)
DAC7 is one example where e-evidence becomes very practical.
Under DAC7, platforms must determine:
- who their sellers are
- where they are located
- and which country should receive the report
To do this, platforms rely on multiple digital indicators — such as identity details, tax information, payment data, and location signals.
These indicators together form e-evidence that supports reporting decisions.
But the key point is this:
DAC7 doesn’t create e-evidence — it uses it. Platforms that already verify suppliers properly are far better prepared.
Why This Matters Going Forward
Regulations change. Reporting rules evolve, but the underlying need remains the same: knowing who you are dealing with and being able to prove it.
Platforms that invest early in:
- proper onboarding
- verification
- structured data collection
are not just “DAC7-ready” — they are future-ready.
Final Thought
E-evidence is not a tax concept and not limited to DAC7.
It’s a digital trust concept that helps platforms understand who they are dealing with, reduce fraud and financial crime, and stay prepared for evolving regulations.
Platforms that invest early in verified onboarding, structured data collection, and consistent validation don’t just meet today’s requirements — they build a foundation that scales with future compliance, reporting, and risk management needs.
👉 Curious whether your current onboarding and verification setup already provides the right e-evidence?
Take a moment to review how you collect and validate supplier data — or reach out to the Supplied team to walk through your setup and identify gaps before they become problems.
