So, when is an electronic signature valid? In most situations when handwritten signatures would be required if papers were involved. It might be your contracts with banks, contractors, employers and employees, clients, and even authorities like tax services. If a document is acceptable in the electronic form, an electronic signature is acceptable too.
In most countries, it’s recognized as equal to a wet signature if not specified otherwise. For example, there are certain types of IRS forms that can only be filed on paper with wet signatures. But when it comes to private contracts between organizations and individuals, e-signatures are valid.
The practice changes, though. Even the most rigid structures had to admit that e-signatures are better recognized to avoid people crowding at their doors in the pandemic time. COVID-19 will go, and the practice will remain.