Advanced vs Qualified eSignatures. What’s the difference?

• What are digital signatures?
• Key differences between SES, AES and QES
• Advanced Electronic Signature (AES)
• Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)
• What’s new in eIDAS 2024?
• When to use SES, AES, or QES
• Global Recognition of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES)
  • QES across regions
  • Strategy for global businesses
  • Built for Africa, trusted globally
• Final Thoughts

As digital transactions continue to reshape global business, the European Union’s eIDAS regulation plays a critical role in standardizing how electronic signatures are defined, validated, and trusted. But what exactly is the difference between an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) and a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)? And when should your business use each?

This guide unpacks the legal, technical, and practical differences between SES, AES, and QES, helping you choose the right signature type for every transaction.

#What are digital signatures?

Digital signatures use cryptography to ensure the authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation of a document. Under EU law, electronic signatures fall into three categories:

• Simple Electronic Signature (SES): Typing your name, clicking a checkbox, or uploading a scanned signature. AES offers strong identity assurance without the formalities of QES. It's ideal for contracts where authentication matters but regulatory thresholds are lower.

• Advanced Electronic Signature (AES): Secure cryptographic binding to the signer and document

• Qualified Electronic Signature (QES): AES + digital certificate issued by a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP)

#Key differences between SES, AES and QES

#Advanced Electronic Signature (AES)

• Bound to the signer via asymmetric cryptography (PKI)
• Detects document tampering after signing
• Common for agreements requiring identity assurance
• Used in systems like Signdeer.com, DocuSign and Adobe Acrobat Sign

#Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

• Issued via a Qualified Trust Service Provider
• Signer identity must be verified (often via video KYC providers)
• Created using a Qualified Signature Creation Device (QSCD)
• Legal presumption of validity across the EU

#What’s new in eIDAS 2024?

• Mandatory integration with the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet)
• Stronger encryption, secure key storage requirements
• Tighter oversight of trust service providers
• Full cross-border QES acceptance across EU states

#When to use SES, AES, or QES

#Global Recognition of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES)

#QES across regions

While QES is fully recognized across the European Union under the eIDAS regulation, its acceptance globally varies depending on national laws. Understanding where QES is enforceable can help businesses choose the right strategy for digital contracting.

#Strategy for global businesses

For international contracts or onboarding, consider:

• Using QES in EU-facing transactions to meet legal mandates.
• Leveraging AES with strong KYC and timestamping in countries where QES is not defined.
• Including a contract clause that specifies the accepted signature type and jurisdiction to avoid legal uncertainty.
• For African markets, deploy AES with video KYC and audit trails, aligned with evolving e-signature laws in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
• Use contract clauses specifying jurisdiction and signature type to ensure enforceability across borders.

Solutions like Signdeer’s dual-compliant signing flow support both QES and AES layers, helping African and global businesses scale securely across borders.

#Built for Africa, trusted globally

Signdeer’s platform goes beyond EU borders — supporting businesses across Africa with:

• Localized compliance support in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa
• Flexible AES + QES signing flows for hybrid legal environments
• Regional language support and SMS/email-based signer journeys
• Seamless video identity verification
• Integration with the EUDI Wallet (planned)

#Final Thoughts

Choosing between AES and QES isn’t just a legal question, it’s a matter of trust, user experience, and readiness for the digital economy. As global regulations evolve, businesses that adopt flexible, cross-border eSignature tools like Signdeer will remain compliant, trusted, and scalable across Europe, Africa, and beyond.