India
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced plans to launch a new e-Aadhaar mobile application with QR code verification capabilities by the end of 2025, building on its previous digital identity verification initiatives. The system will enable digital identity verification and allow Aadhaar holders to update personal information directly through their smartphones.
The new platform will incorporate QR codes into e-Aadhaar documents, enabling identity verification through digital scanning. The development follows UIDAI’s earlier implementation of QR-based verification systems, with UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar confirming that approximately 2,000 of the existing 100,000 Aadhaar authentication devices have already received upgrades to support QR-based verification, noted Mobile ID World.
Starting November 2025, users will be able to remotely update personal information including name, address, and date of birth through the mobile application. In-person visits to enrollment centers will only be required for biometric verification procedures such as fingerprint and iris scans, supporting UIDAI’s enhanced data protection protocols.
The system will connect with authorised government databases, including birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, PAN cards, ration cards, and MNREGA records to streamline verification and updates. UIDAI is currently exploring the integration of electricity bill records to enhance address verification capabilities, expanding upon its existing database connections.
Ukraine
Ukraine has joined a European Union pilot initiative aimed at developing the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet).
According to Ukrinform, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine confirmed the launch of the project, which will eventually allow for the sharing of medical credentials, including the use of electronic prescriptions to obtain medications in select EU countries.
“One of the key goals of this international project is to enable patients to use e-prescriptions not only in Ukraine, but also across EU member states. Currently, the team at the State Enterprise ‘Electronic Health,’ in collaboration with Diia specialists, is testing a technical solution for seamless data exchange,” said Maria Karchevych, Deputy Minister of Health for Digital Development.
The project is reportedly being implemented as part of the POTENTIAL initiative (Pilots for European Digital Identity Wallet.) The project brings together experts from Ukraine’s digital health sector and representatives from the Diia platform.
United States
The National Institute of Standards and Technology released new digital identity guidelines, which outline the process and technical requirements for digital identity proofing, authentication and federation. It has reportedly taken NIST four years, two drafts and 6,000 public comments to update them, as per Nextgov/FCW.
One change from the previous draft updates is the removal of the word “equity,” which was mentioned upwards of 30 times in the first two drafts, though it was not included in 2017 guidance.
The revision comes as the Trump administration has sought to remove diversity, equity and inclusion efforts from the federal government. Instead, the table of contents in the final standards appears to reference “customer experience” in the sections where equity and usability used to be the focus.
Singapore
Singaporean air cargo and aviation catering company SATS has issued a tender for a next-generation Single Digital Identity (SDI) platform as it prepares to retire its four-year-old SDI 1.0 system in May 2026.
The new SDI 2.0 solution is intended to maintain the core capabilities of the existing internet-facing authentication service. This includes centralised login, single-sign-on, multi-factor authentication (MFA), self-service password management, auditing and reporting. But the new system will require more advanced access governance.
Egypt
Digified has announced that it has secured regulatory approval from the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) for its AI-powered digital onboarding, eKYC, and e-contracting services tailored for non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) in Egypt.
Lending, investment, and insurance companies regulated by the FRA can now fully create digital IDs, verify their e-kyc, and sign legally binding contracts — all without paperwork, wet signatures, or physical presence. These digital contracts carry full legal weight in Egyptian courts, enabling fintech apps to function as official digital branches.
United Kingdom
A senior Scottish Labour MP has called for the introduction of digital identity cards for everyone in the UK.
Gregor Poynton said requiring voters to prove their ID would crack down on illegal immigration and speed up access to welfare benefits and the NHS.
Reports at the weekend claimed that new PM Keir Starmer has been won round to a digital version of the controversial scheme.
Poynton told the Record: “It’s time to face the facts, Britain needs a proper digital ID system. In today’s fast-moving world, we can’t afford to let outdated systems hold us back.
“A secure digital identity is the key to fixing our broken immigration system and speeding up the public services we all use.”
He said: “Everyone should be able to prove who they are, and whether they have the right to live, work, and claim services in the UK.
Rwanda
Some Rwandans have begun registration ahead of the rollout of the country’s new national digital ID billed for 2026.
The National Identification Agency (NIDA) launched nationwide registration on August 7, but biometric capture is expected to kick off in Mid-September, The New Times quoted NIDA Director General, Josephine Mukesha, as saying.
“It [the digital ID] doesn’t get lost and it’s not necessary that you walk with it, and it gives us the right to control what information to share and when, and even to stop sharing if necessary,” Mukesha said, as quoted by RadioTV10, during the launch of the registration drive.
