Bhutan to introduce self-sovereign national digital ID for all citizens

INTERNATIONAL DESK: With its recent move of introducing a self-sovereign national digital ID for all its citizens of the country, Bhutan is demonstrating that technological innovation has no bounds, reported Bhutan Live.

This innovative national digital identity system was created by Druk Holding and Investments, the commercial and investment arm of the Bhutanese government, which is also the driving force behind this ambitious project.

Ujjwal Deep Dahal, the CEO of Druk Holding and Investments, asserts that the new system is anticipated to serve as the foundation for the complete digitization of the country’s services. “National digital ID is the platform on which digitization and online services of banks to hospitals to taxation to universities, everything can come online with 100 per cent assurance,” Dahal stressed, according to Bhutan Live.

Bhutan’s strategy is distinctive since it makes use of blockchain technology. Through this, each citizen has full authority over their digital identity and upholds the values of self-sovereignty. This offers an unheard-of level of control and privacy and is similar to how cryptocurrencies work in that only the individual can decide how their identity is used or exposed.

The idea has already received royal sanction, and Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, the 7-year-old crown prince of Bhutan, is the first student to sign up for the new program. Within a year, the deployment is anticipated to include the whole populace, making Bhutan a leader in the field of digital identity.

According to Bhutan Live, Dahal elaborated on the user-friendly nature of the onboarding process, which takes just around 5 seconds.

“In our system, you will not visit any booth to register yourself. You’ll just download an app, share your details, selfie, and national ID card; and in the back end, the AI algorithm will run and say, ‘Okay, I can give you a verified credential’,” he said.

Bhutan is showing the world that creativity is not limited by geography as it sets off on this historic road toward a self-sovereign national digital ID. Bhutan is also reaffirming its commitment to embrace technological breakthroughs. (ANI)