Abstract: A system and method for identity authentication, including: registering an identity card issued by an authoritative entity to an individual with an identity authentication platform including generating a reference face recognition template for the individual in response to the identity card presented by the individual during registration; obtaining a real-time photograph of the individual in response to an assertion of an identity made by the individual; and authenticating the assertion made by the individual by generating a target face recognition template in response to the real-time photograph and matching the target face recognition template to the reference face recognition template.