A system, apparatus, method, and machine readable medium are described for bootstrapping an authenticator. For example, one embodiment of a method comprising: confirming an identity of a user by a first relying party using a first identity verification technique responsive to the user acquiring a device having an authenticator; generating or collecting initial user verification reference data upon verifying the identity of the user through the first identity verification technique; securely providing the initial user verification reference data or data derived from the initial user verification reference data to the authenticator; the authenticator implementing a second identity verification technique by comparing the initial user verification reference data or data derived from the initial user verification reference data to data collected from the user or data collected from a device provided to the user; and providing proof of a successful verification of the identity of the user to a second relying party during a registration request of the authenticator with the second relying party.