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VMC Certificate – A Trusted Solution for Email Phishing Defense, Higher Engagement & Verified Brand Identity
Phishing remains the #1 email threat – and most brands still look easy to spoof.
When your emails show up without visual trust signals, they risk being ignored, flagged, or worse – impersonated.
A Verified Mark Certificate changes that by displaying your trademarked logo directly in the inbox – and in Gmail, even accompanied by a blue tick. It acts as a visual confirmation of the sender’s identity and domain authenticity. VMC certificate improves brand recognition and boosts email open rate and brand engagement.
This guide walks you through what a VMC is, why it’s gaining momentum, and how businesses worldwide are adopting it with end-to-end support from authorized certificate providers like SSL2BUY.
What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?
A Verified Mark Certificate is designed to display a brand’s trademarked logo in supported email inboxes. In Gmail, it can also trigger a blue checkmark to indicate verified sender status. It validates domain authenticity through DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) and confirms legal ownership of the logo, helping emails appear recognizable and trustworthy. VMCs operate in alignment with BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) standards, which enable the official logo of a company to appear alongside the sender’s name in inbox views.
A VMC certificate isn’t just a branding asset – it’s a cryptographic certificate that works alongside DMARC enforcement to authenticate your emails. By displaying your trademarked logo in email clients like Gmail and Apple Mail, VMCs help establish instant trust and prevent impersonation attacks.
Several major email providers support VMCs, including:
When you purchase a VMC email certificate, you will receive it as a .pem file. Here’s how it will look:
$ cat bimi_vmc.pem -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIILZTCCCU2gAwIBAgIQDZOioApcXGnRJP7rbVT4lTANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQsFADBf MQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzEXMBUGA1UEChMORGlnaUNlcnQsIEluYy4xNzA1BgNVBAMT LkRpZ2lDZXJ0IFZlcmlmaWVkIE1hcmsgUlNBNDA5NiBTSEEyNTYgMjAyMSBDQTEw [...] -----END CERTIFICATE-----
You will need to deploy the VMC by hosting the .pem file on a publicly accessible web server. Following that, update the BIMI record by pointing it to the URL where the .pem file is hosted.
VMC Certificate Providers
Verified Mark Certificates are offered by a few trusted Certificate Authorities and their partners. Here are the top providers:
- DigiCert – A globally trusted CA and one of the first to issue VMCs with full BIMI and DMARC compliance.
- Entrust – Offers VMCs with strong focus on email identity and brand trust for enterprises.
- SSL2BUY – An authorized DigiCert partner offering VMCs at up to 30% lower cost, with free DMARC and logo setup support.
Why Brands Need a VMC Certificate to Win at Email Marketing?
Verified Mark Certificates have become increasingly popular among enterprise and medium-sized organizations. The key reason to get a VMC is that it helps meet the standards established by the leading email service providers (ESPs). Services like Google, Yahoo Mail, and FastMail support BIMI, so having a BIMI-verified certificate becomes essential for proper logo identification display in emails. Not adhering to these standards affects email visibility and raises concerns about alignment with industry security best practices.
From a marketing perspective, VMC adoption allows branded emails to stand out in crowded inboxes. As awareness around email security increases, recipients are more inclined to engage with emails from recognizable and verified sources. Displaying a trademarked logo helps reinforce brand familiarity and has been shown to positively impact open rates and overall campaign performance.
Why leading brands are adopting VMCs?
- Phishing protection is strengthened by displaying a verified logo, which helps deter spoofing and impersonation.
- Visual branding leads to increased open rates by making emails more recognizable and engaging at first glance.
- Email deliverability improves through enforced DMARC policies that enhance sender reputation and inbox placement.
- Brand credibility is reinforced when recipients see a verified logo associated with authenticated email communication.
- Inbox visibility is elevated, especially in Gmail and other BIMI-supported platforms, where VMCs help emails stand out from unverified senders.
Who Can Use VMCs? See If You’re the Right Fit
Verified Mark Certificates aren’t just for Fortune 500 giants, they’re for any organization that values trust, email engagement, and brand reputation. Here’s who benefits most:
Enterprises & Corporates
VMCs support brand protection at scale by enabling consistent, authenticated visual identity across global email communications. Logos displayed in inboxes help reinforce recognition and reduce the risk of domain spoofing.
Mid-market & SMBs
For smaller and mid-sized businesses, VMCs offer an opportunity to enhance credibility and visibility in inboxes. Verified branding helps establish trust with customers, vendors, and partners without the need for enterprise-level infrastructure.
Government & Public Sector Entities
Public sector organizations can use VMCs to support transparency and official recognition in citizen-facing emails. Verified sender identity contributes to increased trust and reduces the likelihood of impersonation in sensitive communications.
If you’re in one of the following roles, a VMC could directly impact your KPIs:
- Digital Marketing Heads → Better open rates and brand visibility
- Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) → Strengthened email infrastructure and security
- Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) → Reduced risk of phishing and impersonation
- Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) → Enhanced campaign performance and brand recall
- Founders & Business Owners → Scalable trust and differentiation in a competitive landscape
Technical Requirements & Pre-Conditions for Verified Mark Certificates
Implementing a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) involves meeting specific technical and validation requirements that ensure proper logo display and domain authentication. The following elements must be in place for successful issuance and deployment:
DMARC Policy
An enforced DMARC policy set to either p=quarantine or p=reject is required. VMCs are only issued for domains with active email authentication policies in place to prevent spoofing.
Trademarked Logo
The logo intended for display must be registered with a government-recognized trademark authority and prepared in SVG Tiny PS (Portable/Secure) format. It must comply with BIMI specifications for consistent rendering across email clients.
Domain Ownership Validation
Ownership of the sending domain must be validated as part of the Certificate Authority’s verification process. This confirms the organization has legitimate control over the domain associated with the VMC.
BIMI-Compliant DNS Setup
A BIMI DNS TXT record must be published that includes a reference to the hosted SVG logo file and, once available, the VMC (.pem) file. This DNS record enables email clients to retrieve and verify the logo for display.
Certificate Authority Issuance
VMCs must be issued by a publicly trusted Certificate Authority, such as DigiCert. The CA is responsible for verifying the organization’s legal identity, domain ownership, and trademark registration before issuing the certificate.
Logo Hosting & Deployment
Following issuance, the VMC (.pem) file and SVG logo must be hosted on a publicly accessible HTTPS server. The corresponding DNS record should point to these assets to complete the logo display process.
SSL2BUY offers complete assistance with:
- Setting up a DMARC policy
- Formatting your logo into SVG Tiny PS
- DNS configuration for BIMI compatibility
Business Benefits: What’s the ROI of a VMC Certificate?
A Verified Mark Certificate is a powerful brand asset that drives visibility, trust, and real business results. This visibility pays off. Many brands report significant increases in email open rates, often between 10% to 30%, after implementing a VMC. That’s because recipients are more likely to engage with emails that appear verified and professional, especially in an age when inboxes are flooded with spam and phishing attempts.
A compelling example is SmartHR, a human resources software company that prioritized secure and efficient digital communication. By adopting a VMC, SmartHR displayed its verified logo in recipients’ inboxes, reinforcing brand authenticity and building customer trust. This move not only improved their email open rates but also safeguarded against phishing attempts by ensuring that emails were genuinely from SmartHR.
Better deliverability, increased click-through rates, and improved engagement across campaigns all contribute to a stronger ROI. It’s like giving your email strategy a competitive edge by showing up in the inbox with authority and style.
And as email providers continue to prioritize authenticated senders, having a VMC puts your brand ahead of the curve. Future-proofing your communication and aligning with best practices will define trusted email delivery in the years to come.
In short, a VMC amplifies your brand’s voice in the inbox, strengthens trust, and turns email authentication into a marketing advantage, with a return on investment that shows up in real engagement metrics.
Trusted by Global Brands to Strengthen Sender Identity
Verified Mark Certificates are already in action, powering inbox trust for some of the world’s most respected brands. From fast-scaling tech startups to financial giants and government entities, businesses are turning to VMCs to strengthen sender identity and stand out visually in a crowded inbox.
Early adopters using VMC to secure and elevate brand trust in the inbox
Industry leaders have also recognized the broader value of VMCs across security, marketing, and customer engagement:
These expert insights reflect how VMCs go beyond visual appeal, helping brands align with modern authentication standards while enhancing every email touchpoint.
Why Buy VMC from SSL2BUY?
Choosing SSL2BUY means choosing value. SSL2BUY is an authorized global partner of DigiCert, offering genuine Verified Mark Certificates backed by industry compliance and exceptional value. Businesses can benefit from up to 30% savings compared to direct DigiCert pricing, along with multi-year discounts and exclusive first-time buyer incentives to reduce costs further.
In addition to competitive pricing, SSL2BUY provides end-to-end support throughout the VMC lifecycle. This includes free DMARC setup assistance, complimentary logo formatting in SVG Tiny PS, and full guidance through validation, DNS configuration, and deployment.
Thousands of organizations across industries trust SSL2BUY for its fast processing, secure checkout, and deep technical expertise. From securing a single brand identity to managing multiple domains, SSL2BUY offers a streamlined experience tailored for businesses looking to boost email trust, visibility, and brand authority.
Conclusion
If your emails look generic, they’re easy to ignore. Every day, your brand lands in inboxes, but does it look like your brand? Or just another unverified sender?
In inboxes where competitors are showing up with verified logos and blue checks, every email you send without one becomes a missed opportunity. VMC sits at the intersection of security, marketing, and brand credibility. It protects your domain from abuse, makes your messages stand out visually, and instantly tells recipients: “This is legitimate.”
SSL2BUY makes it simple – with full support for DMARC, logo formatting, and DNS setup. Plus, up to 30% savings over DigiCert’s direct pricing.
