Electronic signature platforms (such as DocuSign and Adobe Sign) have fundamentally changed how commercial documents are executed. In banking and finance transactions, this shift has particular significance for security documents, guarantees and intercreditor agreements, many of which are executed as deeds and rely on strict compliance with statutory formalities.These platforms work by allowing users to upload documents to a secure, cloud-based environment where signatories receive links to access and sign remotely.Access typically requires two-factor authentication, and signatories consent to the platform processing personal data such as email addresses, telephone numbers and IP addresses.Once signing is complete, the platform generates a certificate providing a digital audit trail of the execution process. This involves setting out details of who has signed the document, their email address, their IP address, any additional steps (such as two-factor authentication) taken to authenticate the identity of the relevant person signing and the time and date of the person signing.The shift towards electronic signing accelerated