Europe
The European Union has issued a new call for funding within the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), allocating more than 108 million euros (approximately US$117.5 million) to projects designed to increase the continent’s tech capacities – including digital identity.
Among the targets that will receive funding are Digital Decade Multi-Country Projects which cover the digitalisation of public services. This includes the deployment of the European Union Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet in cross-border use cases and implementing the eIDAS Regulation which mandates that EU member states provide an interoperable electronic identification (eID).
Switzerland
The politician behind a federal digital ID system for Switzerland has said that government authorities need more time to process technology and cost considerations before confirming details of its implementation.
Switzerland is looking to launch a state-recognised electronic credentials (e-ID) system in 2026.
Federal councillor Beat Jans, who leads Switzerland’s e-ID project said he planned to propose “initial technical implementation” details of the e-ID and its “trust infrastructure” to the Federal Council “before the end of this year”.
Jans said the government “has to spend taxpayers’ money carefully”. He said that “due to technological considerations, the e-ID might get more expensive than outlined in [a] dispatch from last November. Now, ‘more expensive’ is not precise enough. We need reliable figures to evaluate and prioritise the different options.”
Additionally he said that “new approaches keep popping up” for how to implement a digital ID, describing the field of verifiable credentials as “young and dynamic”.
He pointed to the European Union (EU)’s eIDAS 2.0 regulation and “technical innovations such as the concept of parallel signatures, allowing issuers to combine conventional as well as privacy preserving cryptography.” He said these were “attractive in theory” but “on the other hand, the maturity of these concepts needs to be assessed more thoroughly,” reports Global Government Fintech.
United States
TSA PreCheck Touchless Identity Solution is undergoing field testing across some US airports in partnership with Delta and United Airlines.
A statement said travellers opt-in with “informed consent” knowing their data is safeguarded by airlines in this scheme.
It is reserved for DHS Trusted Travelers on the PreCheck or Global Entry programmes who opt in prior or upon check-in. The TSA reportedly “pre-stage the photos of the opt-in passengers only for that airport and on that day to enable touchless facial identification at the bag drop, checkpoint, and even boarding”.
The TSA is looking to expand airlines and locations in the alliance in the near future.
Nigeria
The minister of state for defence has approved the new digital verification system for military pensioners.
In a statement, Bello Matawalle said the new verification technology has the potential to transform the military pensions system and reduce the risk of identity fraud.
The new digital verification system for military pensioners was launched on July 1.
“The key benefits of the digital verification system include enhanced security by reducing the risk of identity fraud and impersonation, convenience by allowing pensioners to complete verification from their homes, cost efficiency by eliminating the need for travel, and accessibility by accommodating pensioners residing both within and outside Nigeria,” the statement reads.
Korea
Commercial banks will introduce digital identification cards on their mobile apps within this year to expand services to non-banking sectors, according to industry sources.
The Korea Times reports KB Kookmin Bank, NH NongHyup Bank and a consortium of Kakao and its banking arm, KakaoBank, were selected to offer mobile ID via their apps, respectively.
The service will be made available under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s project to open doors for private companies to provide services linked to the public sector.
Those who download the corresponding banking apps will not need to carry a tangible ID with them at polling stations, government offices, hospitals and other places where personal verification is required.
United Kingdom
The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA) has unveiled a new initiative, the Select ID scheme, to provide a marketplace of trusted and reusable identity verification, counting Barclays, Visa and Northern Trust among its initial members.
Select ID offers a choice of digital ID providers to consumers to provide security and inclusivity. The scheme will function as a digital ID marketplace for individuals to select a digital ID provider which in turn allows financial institutions to meet their requirements as relying parties, such as for KYC and AML regulations.
The Select ID scheme is creating a ‘supplementary scheme’ for financial services under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF), in which ID providers must be certified to meet the regulatory requirements for AML and KYC.
Global
Prove has introduced tools to help customers integrate its identity verification technology into their operations.
The company has announced its developer self-service platform along with an identity solution known as Prove Link SDK.
“Today’s consumers are inundated with an endless cycle of security measures online, saddling them with the responsibility of proving their identity, and ultimately leading them to abandon sign-ups, delay arduous onboarding and more. These so-called protective measures are grinding growth to a halt,” the company said in a statement.
The developer self-service platform, Prove said, simplifies identity verification and authentication processes for businesses, offering real-time identity management throughout the lifecycle of customer identities, allowing for the highest pass rates with the lowest fraud rates.
With the Prove Link SDK, the company says it is meeting an increased demand for identity solutions for things ranging from purchasing concert tickets to hailing a ride: “separating the bots and fraudsters from the verified consumers enables businesses to create better, trusted experiences for their customers and grow their bottom lines.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Agency for Identification Documents, Records and Data Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina has reportedly received support from several countries for the introduction of qualified electronic signatures.
In a joint open letter of support, the ambassadors of the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden, together with international economic representatives, sent their support to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the country’s digital transformation efforts.
In their letter, the ambassadors and economic representatives emphasised that digital transformation is a key component of the modernisation and progress of every country, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. In particular, they emphasized the importance of harmonising the existing laws related to electronic signatures with the regulations of the EU.
They emphasised the importance of enabling the widespread use of electronic signatures for citizens as a prerequisite for the introduction of various digital services. In their joint letter, the ambassadors called on all relevant institutions, including the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to take the necessary steps to facilitate and accelerate this process.
Canada
The government of Quebec has released its 2024-2028 Government Cybersecurity and Digital Strategy, which includes the launch of a digital identity and a digital wallet program within the next four years.
As motivating factors it names AI, an increase in cyberattacks, the prominence of cloud computing, the critical importance of data, and “the rapid growth in digital usage and appetite for digital services among the population.”
