Launching The 4th Generation YubiKey

Today is historic as we launch our 4th generation YubiKey. It is built on high-performance, secure elements, and enables stronger and faster crypto operations. We are also expanding beyond our authentication heritage to code signing: Our new touch-to-sign feature was brought to life with our friends at Docker.

For every generation of YubiKeys, we have added new YubiKey versions with select feature sets. With YubiKey 4 and YubiKey 4 Nano, we are reversing that trend with fewer products, more features, and simplified choices for customers that bring better value.

We are also evolving in other ways. We are complementing our authentication pedigree by improving and adding  specific security features: OpenPGP encryption can now be performed with 4096-bit RSA crypto keys, we have added a PKCS#11 library to support PIV functionality, and, together with Docker, we are introducing container code signing with touch-to-sign and user verification.

Our new YubiKeys are the market’s Swiss Army knife for authentication and encryption. For large volume needs, we will enable customers to order exactly the functions they want. And our unique programming tools allows organizations to program and control their own cryptographic secrets. This security approach is something we are convinced will soon define the market.

The small YubiKey 4 Nano is priced at $50, and the YubiKey 4, the larger keychain version, is $40. Neither includes support for Near Field Communications (NFC), which is now just found in the YubiKey NEO. For those who don’t need NFC, the YubiKey 4 offers faster and stronger crypto at a lower price.

We will introduce a new retail web sales lineup and continue to serve enterprise customers with existing commitments to our former YubiKey products.

Strong authentication is an important part of the identity stack and we are quickly growing market share there. The YubiKey, however, also includes vital encryption functions highlighted by code signing. Both these areas is where we have innovated with YubiKey 4 to provide best-practice security and the simplest user experience. This is truly the start of a new generation.

Talk to our teamTalk to our team

Share this article:


  • Securing the skies with YubiKeys: Insights on cyber resilience in the aviation industry and beyondIn an increasingly interconnected world, the landscape of cybersecurity is constantly evolving. Bad actors are becoming more sophisticated, leveraging tactics like phishing and ransomware to exploit human error and weak credentials. This makes robust cybersecurity a universal issue, impacting everyone from individuals to the largest global enterprises – especially those in high-stakes sectors like commercial […]Read morecyber resilienceEUmanufacturingQ&A
  • Future-proofing authentication: A look at the future of post-quantum cryptographyThe path from passwords to passkeys and beyond In a previous blog I talked about the end of passwords and the rise of passkeys, which promise stronger security and less frustration for both individuals and businesses. The global momentum behind passkeys represents one of the most exciting shifts in authentication history, but realizing their full […]Read more
  • Goodbye master passwords: Dashlane and Yubico enhance credential vault encryption and login with YubiKeysAt Authenticate 2025 this week, the world’s leading experts on modern authentication and securing digital identities gathered, to discuss the future of secure authentication and achieving usable security across the account lifecycle. The message was clear: the future of phishing-resistant authentication is using passkeys for encryption, and the gold standard is device-bound passkeys – YubiKeys. […]Read morecredential vault encryptioncredential vault loginDashlanepartnerpasskey encryptionPRF
  • Piloting Europe’s future ID: Passkeys securing digital walletsOver the last several years, passkeys have become ubiquitous. They are available on every mobile platform, in every leading browser, as part of all major enterprise IAM solutions, and in most major cloud services. Until wwWallet came along, the only place where passkeys hadn’t yet made an impact is in the rapidly developing world of […]Read moredigital identity walletspasskeysSIROSwwWallet