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We took a break on October 29 and November 5 due to IIW- and IETF-related commitments, so this edition brings those developments together.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: The World’s First Government-Led Blockchain ID Is Introduced

The City of Buenos Aires has launched a groundbreaking initiative for its 3.6 million residents: the introduction of QuarkID, a government-led, blockchain-based digital ID.

The system has the following features:

  • It uses zero-knowledge proofs on the Era Layer 2 blockchain provided by ZKsync
  • It integrates with MiBa, the city’s official digital platform, enabling access to a range of government services and documents
  • It gives residents a more secure way to control their own personal information

All MiBa users now receive a decentralized digital ID (DID), enabling them to securely manage and share important documents such as birth certificates and tax records. City authorities regard this as a major turning point in personal information management.

References

United Kingdom: Toward a Legal Framework for Digital Verification Services

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the Data (Use and Access) Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on October 23, 2023. The bill includes the following important measures to provide a legal foundation for digital verification services:

  • Establishing rules for “trustworthy” digital verification services across the economy
  • Creating a public register of services that meet the standards
  • Issuing a trust mark that makes trustworthy services easy to identify
  • Building a new information-sharing framework that allows public-sector data to be used for identity and eligibility checks

This announcement was also made under the newly established government body, the Office of Digital Identity and Attributes (OfDIA).

Referencehttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-data-laws-unveiled-to-improve-public-services-and-boost-uk-economy-by-10-billion

Poland: Poland’s Rapidly Growing Digital Identity Card

According to an announcement by the Polish government, the number of users of mDowód, a digital ID that serves as an alternative to the traditional physical identity card, has exceeded 8 million.

This digital ID has the following features:

  • It can be used for the same purposes as a traditional identity card, including identity checks at banks and notaries
  • Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Dariusz Standerski has confirmed that it has the same legal validity as a traditional identity card
  • It is assigned its own unique identification number

However, a traditional paper or plastic identity card is still required in the following situations:

  • When applying for a new identity card
  • For identity checks when crossing a border

mDowód includes the following security features:

  • An animated display of the Polish flag
  • A real-time clock display
  • Availability even without an internet connection
  • Information authentication through a QR code in mObywatel, the official mobile app

In this way, Poland is making steady progress in improving the convenience of government services through digitization. The country’s approach, which combines security with ease of use, is likely to become an important case study for the future adoption of digital IDs.

Referencehttps://www.thinkdigitalpartners.com/news/2024/11/04/digital-identity-global-roundup-190/

United States: Decentralized Identity Pioneer Sovrin to Shut Down by March 2025

The Sovrin Foundation, a pioneer in self-sovereign digital identity (SSI), has announced plans to shut down its platform on—or possibly before—March 31, 2025.

Since its launch, Sovrin has

  • led the development of decentralized identity standards since its launch in 2017
  • established the concepts of decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials adopted by W3C
  • enabled individual-centric identity management independent of governments and corporations
  • brought trusted organizations around the world into its operations as “stewards”

In these and other ways, Sovrin has made major contributions to the world of decentralized identity, but it appears to have been unable to withstand the passage of time and market realities. The main reasons given for the shutdown are:

  1. Declining use of the mainnet
  2. Regulatory uncertainty surrounding decentralized identity
  3. Depletion of resources from addressing technical challenges
  4. Declining participation by the steward community

These are among the factors it cites.

The closure of Sovrin, which has contributed to the development of decentralized identity for 7 years, seems to mark the end of an era in this field.

Referencehttps://idtechwire.com/the-community-moved-on-sovrin-announces-mainnets-likely-shutdown/

Italy Begins Introducing a Digital Identity Wallet: Pilot Program Starts Ahead of Full-Scale Operation in 2025

The Italian government has launched the country’s first pilot program for a digital identity system. Starting on October 23, digital versions of driver’s licenses, health insurance cards, and European Disability Cards will initially be made available to 50,000 citizens through Io, the official app provided by the Ministry of the Interior. The rollout schedule is as follows:

  • October 23- 50,000 people
  • November 6 – 250,000 people
  • November 30 – 1,000,000 people
  • December 4 – all IO app users

At this stage, these digital credentials cannot be used for online services or self-service systems, but they can be used as a means of identification in daily life in the same way as traditional physical identity documents.

This initiative is positioned as an important step toward the full-scale introduction of the “IT Wallet” planned by 2025. Through this measure, Italy intends to build a system compliant with the EU’s digital identity standards under the eIDAS Regulation and promote the digitization of government services.

The pilot program will be rolled out according to the schedule above.

Building on the results of the pilot program, Italy aims to gradually expand its digital ID capabilities and deliver government services that are more convenient and secure.

Referencehttps://innovazione.gov.it/notizie/articoli/it-wallet-tre-documenti-digitali-su-app-io-per-i-primi-50-000-cittadini/

https://www.thinkdigitalpartners.com/news/2024/11/04/digital-identity-global-roundup-190

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