United Kingdom
Fresh doubts have emerged over the future direction of digital identity in the UK after a parliamentary committee published a highly critical assessment of the Government’s plans.
The report, Mandatory to manageable: the government’s plans for digital ID, concluded that weak policy development and a rush to announce mandatory identity measures undermined public confidence from the outset. The findings prompted cross-industry group MyIdentity to warn companies against making further investments in digital identity initiatives until greater certainty is provided by government.
MyIdentity and the Home Builders Federation have since met officials from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Digital Property Market Steering Group (DPMSG), informing them they can no longer support current programmes. The organisation says it has advised around 250 companies to suspend further investment in the sector, citing uncertainty over how digital identity will ultimately be implemented in property transactions.
In a separate development, the Government announced the creation of an independent Digital ID Advisory Group to provide scrutiny and guidance as the programme develops. The panel includes senior figures from technology, cybersecurity, law, education and consumer advocacy, including Anne-Marie Imafidon, David Rogers and former New South Wales digital minister Victor Dominello. The group will meet quarterly and is intended to help ensure any future digital identity system is inclusive, trusted and practical.
United States
Samsung Electronics America has partnered with Clear to launch Samsung ID with Clear, a digital identity credential stored in Samsung Wallet.
The service allows US passport holders to create a TSA-approved digital identity and use it at more than 250 airport security checkpoints across the United States. Users can verify their identity through a tap or QR code scan while keeping identity data encrypted on their device. The move expands the growing ecosystem of mobile identity credentials already supported through Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
Meanwhile, researchers at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center have unveiled Keyring, an open-source digital identity wallet designed to reduce reliance on centralised identity systems.
The platform allows users to store credentials locally on their mobile devices and selectively disclose information such as age or email ownership without revealing additional personal data. Built with support from the Linux Foundation’s Decentralized Trust Graph Working Group, Keyring uses biometric authentication and peer-to-peer verification to promote a more privacy-preserving approach to digital identity.
Estonia
Estonia has begun issuing a new generation of electronic identity cards as part of a major upgrade to its long-established digital identity programme.
Developed with Thales under an eight-year contract, the new eID cards feature enhanced embedded security technologies designed to evolve in response to emerging cyber threats. The programme covers citizens, residents, diplomats and refugees, reinforcing Estonia’s position as one of the world’s most digitally advanced governments.
Brazil and the Netherlands
Brazil’s digital government expertise continues to attract international attention.
During a technical exchange hosted by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Brazilian government technology provider Serpro shared lessons from the country’s digital identity and digital wallet programmes. With more than 175 million accounts on the Gov.br platform, Brazil highlighted its experience in digital identity, interoperability and digital public services.
The discussions also explored governance of algorithms, transparency and public-sector innovation, as both countries seek to advance digital government strategies.
North America
Synthetic identity fraud is becoming one of the financial sector’s fastest-growing threats, according to new research from Mitek Systems and Datos Insights.
The study found that 84 percent of fraud executives now regard synthetic identity fraud as a high or moderate risk, while losses from unsecured credit fraud in the United States reached approximately $2.94 billion in 2025, up from $1.8 billion in 2020. Researchers also warned that generative AI is making it easier for fraudsters to create convincing synthetic identities at scale.
Forty percent of financial institutions reported seeing increased AI-driven fraud attacks, prompting calls for stronger identity verification and lifecycle monitoring capabilities.
Europe
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has released the first technical standards supporting the European Digital Identity Wallet.
The specifications cover wallet attestation, trust frameworks, identity proofing, remote signing protocols and interoperability requirements. The wallet initiative is designed to provide citizens across the European Union with a single digital identity credential capable of supporting access to government services, banking, healthcare, travel and education.
The standards form part of a broader effort to deliver interoperable digital identity services to the EU’s approximately 450 million citizens and residents.
Global
1Kosmos has expanded availability of its workforce identity verification platform through Google Cloud Marketplace. The company says demand is growing for identity verification and passwordless authentication tools capable of addressing remote hiring fraud, AI-enabled impersonation attacks and social engineering risks.
Baltics
Identity verification provider iDenfy has integrated Smart-ID into its platform, enabling users in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to verify their identity without scanning physical documents.
The integration gives businesses access to approximately 3.75 million Smart-ID users across the Baltic states and aligns with the broader transition towards eIDAS 2.0 and the European Digital Identity Wallet framework. Smart-ID already holds eIDAS High assurance certification, allowing users to authenticate and sign documents electronically with the same legal status as handwritten signatures.
Cameroon
Cameroon is preparing to introduce digital identity cards for secondary school students as part of a broader education digitisation programme.
The initiative builds on a system introduced in 2024 that assigns every student a unique identification number linked to their academic records. Under a new agreement between the Ministry of Secondary Education and MTN Cameroon, the digital ID system will consolidate academic, financial and disciplinary information into a single student record.
Officials say the move will improve student administration, support digital payments and strengthen governance across the education sector.
