Yubico has introduced YubiNation Partners, a new global channel programme aimed at uniting a network of security professionals to protect digital identities against increasing AI-driven cyber threats.
By equipping partners to act as trusted advisors, the programme seeks to create a safer digital environment for customers, emphasising privacy and security in digital identities.
YubiKeys: enhancing security measures
The average cost of a corporate security breach is now at $4.4 million, with phishing remaining a significant threat. A study by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Yubico, shows that replacing traditional Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and One-Time Passwords (OTP) with YubiKeys can yield a 265 percent return on investment (ROI).
This switch considerably mitigates risks from phishing and credential theft, reducing a company’s vulnerability to breach costs from such attacks by 99.99 percent. Amid the evolving security landscape, YubiNation Partners are set to play a critical role in delivering robust phishing-resistant MFA and facilitating a smooth transition to passwordless security solutions.
Developing a network of security experts
According to Bettina Vahl, vice president of global channels at Yubico, "With YubiNation Partners, Yubico is embracing a Partner-first strategy, moving beyond traditional resale to build a dedicated community of security experts who are shaping the future of digital identity." This initiative aims to empower partners with the necessary innovation, speed, and scalability to ensure customer security globally.
Structured tiers for partner engagement
The programme introduces four partnership tiers, each designed to recognise varying levels of expertise and collaboration:
- Bronze: Provides foundational training through the Yubico Academy and authorised distributors for immediate value delivery.
- Silver: Offers lead sharing and co-sell support for opportunities with 200+ users.
- Gold: Grants priority access to market development funds, includes a go-to-market team, and offers a not-for-resale (NFR) allocation of up to 25 keys per quarter.
- Platinum: Delivers the most substantial deal incentives and services leads, direct MDF access, exclusive event invitations, and an NFR allocation of up to 50 keys per quarter.
The role of Yubico Academy
YubiNation Partners is designed to assist advisors in capturing demand swiftly in the security marketYubico Academy has expanded to bolster partner training through a comprehensive curriculum spanning Essentials, Sales, and Technical Sales roles, culminating in a Professional Services-focused 400-series certification.
Felix Brand, Cybersecurity Architect at SVA, a Yubico partner in Germany, shared positive feedback on the new certification approach, stating, "This structured approach provided a highly targeted experience that directly aligns with the unique needs and strengths of each individual consulting partner."
Leveraging Market Authority
YubiNation Partners is designed to assist advisors in capturing demand swiftly in the security market. With over 30 percent of the Fortune 500 companies and most of the leading AI firms relying on YubiKeys, channel partners have the opportunity to shorten sales cycles, generate ongoing revenue, and influence the future of digital identity security. The programme nurtures a cohesive ecosystem enabling partners to advise, build, and resell, supported by customised enablement and campaign kits designed to generate a measurable impact.
Jake Pederson, director of the security alliances at Zones, endorsed the programme, saying, "We see Yubico’s updated channel programme as a strong step forward in supporting strategic partners like Zones. The investments in enablement, tiering, and services alignment position us to drive greater impact together in the identity security market."
Partner enrolment and availability
Existing partners will automatically be assigned to one of the programme's tiers based on factors like revenue growth and completed Yubico Academy certifications. Interested new partners can apply to join YubiNation Partners either through Yubico’s website or via local distributors.
Yubico, a modern cybersecurity company and creator of the most secure passkeys, announced the launch of YubiNation Partners, a new global channel programme designed to unite a community of security experts.
In the face of growing AI-driven cyber threats, the programme enables partners to become trusted advisors and cultivate a safer digital world for their customers, making identities private and secure.
YubiKeys
As the average cost of a corporate security breach climbs to $4.4 million, with phishing remaining a primary attack vector, the industry can no longer rely on passwords alone. In fact, a 2026 Total Economic Impact study from Forrester Consulting commissioned by Yubico, found that by replacing traditional Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and One-Time Passwords (OTP) with YubiKeys, customers achieved a 265 percent return on investment (ROI).
This effectively eliminated phishing and credential-theft risks, reducing an organisation’s risk exposure to breach costs from addressable attacks by 99.99 percent.
With the ever-changing landscape, YubiNation Partners is more important than ever, transforming the traditional reseller model into a strategic engine for growth, empowering partners to deliver the gold standard in phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) and help customers go passwordless at speed and scale.
Building a community of security experts
“With YubiNation Partners, Yubico is embracing a Partner-first strategy, moving beyond traditional resale to build a dedicated community of security experts who are shaping the future of digital identity,” said Bettina Vahl, vice president of global channels at Yubico. “This programme is built to turn our partners into true trusted advisors, giving them the innovation, speed and scale they need to help customers go passwordless and stay secure everywhere.”
Welcome to YubiNation Partners: Built to accelerate partner success at scale
The new programme features four distinct partnership tiers specifically designed to recognise technical expertise, investment and collaboration. Each tier unlocks deeper enablement and benefits:
- Bronze (building the foundation): Focuses on rapid enablement through the Yubico Academy and authorised distributors to help teams deliver value immediately
- Silver (expanding impact): Unlocks lead sharing and co-sell support for opportunities involving 200+ users
- Gold (accelerating at scale): Receives priority access to market development funds (MDF), a dedicated go-to-market team and a not-for-resale (NFR) allocation of up to 25 keys per quarter to support technical readiness
- Platinum (leading the way): Strongest deal incentives, services leads, direct access to MDF, invitations to exclusive strategic events and business planning sessions and an NFR allocation of up to 50 keys per quarter
Yubico Academy: The destination spot for effective channel enablement
Over the past year, Yubico has significantly expanded the Yubico Academy to support roles across our partner ecosystem: 100-series (Essentials), 200-series (Sales) and 300-series (Technical Sales), including completing a proof of concept with a fourth level of certification, the 400-series focused on Professional Services.
After incorporating feedback from partners worldwide, Yubico is also making the 400-series available to Platinum and Gold tier partners. This programme reinforces the mission to treat partners as an extension of Yubico’s team and strengthens the partner networks’ ability to streamline our customers’ path to phishing-resistance. It also allows partners to leverage their expertise in a wider array of solutions to deliver additional Professional Services that ultimately enable customer success.
"The feedback from both my colleagues and I regarding the new Professional Services certifications has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly concerning the specialised vendor modules,” said Felix Brand, CISSP and cybersecurity architect at Germany-based Yubico partner, SVA. “This structured approach provided a highly targeted experience that directly aligns with the unique needs and strengths of each individual consulting partner."
Innovating for the future of identity
YubiNation Partners is built to help trusted advisors capture demand in a fast-moving market. Currently, over 30 percent of the Fortune 500 and 18 of the top 20 AI companies rely on YubiKeys to secure their workforces. By joining YubiNation, channel partners can leverage this brand authority to shorten sales cycles, drive recurring revenue and shape the future of securing digital identity.
The programme creates a unified ecosystem where partners can advise, build and resell, supported by tailored enablement and campaign kits that drive measurable impact.
“We see Yubico’s updated channel programme as a strong step forward in supporting strategic partners like Zones. The investments in enablement, tiering, and services alignment position us to drive greater impact together in the identity security market,” said Jake Pederson, director, software, cloud and security alliances at Zones. “By elevating partner certifications and Professional Services integration, the programme empowers Zones to differentiate through technical expertise and end-to-end delivery excellence at global scale.”
Availability
Existing partners will be automatically placed into one of the four programme tiers based on current criteria, such as revenue growth and Yubico Academy certifications completed.
New partners looking to advance their security mission and join the YubiNation Partners community can submit a Partner Application starting today on the Yubico website or through their local Yubico distributor.
