Malawi
Malawi has launched its Nzika Digital ID Wallet and removed expiry dates from national identity cards, as the country continues to expand its digital identity infrastructure.
Developed by the National Registration Bureau and UNDP Malawi, with support from the European Union, Irish Aid and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the wallet allows citizens to access and manage credentials including national IDs, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates.
The government also confirmed that, from 16 September, national identity cards will no longer expire, removing the requirement for periodic renewal.
New Zealand
Westpac New Zealand has become the first bank in the country accredited to issue digital credentials under the government’s Digital Identity Services Trust Framework (DISTF).
The accreditation allows Westpac to issue credentials that customers can store in the Govt.nz app wallet and share with third parties. The capability is initially being introduced for Westpac One Business customers, allowing businesses to share verified bank account details digitally.
One potential use is a vehicle purchase, where a buyer wants confirmation that an account provided by a dealer genuinely belongs to that business. Westpac is the third organisation to reach the accreditation stage under the framework, alongside the Government Digital Delivery Agency and NEC New Zealand.
United Kingdom
Think Digital Partners runs its yearly Digital Identity and Cybersecurity for Government conference on September 30th. With speakers from across both central and local government this looks like being a brilliant event. You can register your place here.
Japan
Digital identity wallets from Japan and the European Union have successfully exchanged and verified educational credentials in interoperability testing focused on students studying abroad.
Tests covered Japanese wallet users presenting academic records to EU universities and vice versa, as well as universities issuing credentials to students using wallets from the other region. The scenarios also tested whether credentials issued overseas could subsequently be presented after students returned home.
The systems used OpenID credential issuance and presentation protocols, with tests covering selective disclosure and security measures designed to prevent credentials being replayed or presented by somebody other than the holder. The project forms part of wider Japan-EU cooperation on digital identity and trust services.
United Kingdom
Age estimation technology provider Innovative Technology Ltd has partnered with digital verification provider Luciditi to allow customers to validate digital proof of age using the same MyCheckr device used for anonymous age estimation.
The integration means MyCheckr can first estimate whether a customer appears to be under 25 and, where the customer chooses to use digital ID, validate their age credential on the same device. Previously, staff would have needed to check physical identification separately when required.
The partnership follows the introduction of rules allowing certified digital proof of age to be used for alcohol sales in England and Wales.
Vietnam
Vietnam has approved plans to connect its VNeID digital identity app with Singapore’s Singpass and Laos’s LAeID for cross-border identity checks, initially through pilots at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports.
Government agencies have been tasked with establishing the technical, legal and operational arrangements needed for travellers to use the respective national identity apps across borders. The plan calls for test connections and integration checks before pilot operations, with security and data-protection checks forming part of the work.
The pilots will examine whether digital identity can reduce repeated declarations and document presentation during immigration processing. Officials plan to measure verification times, success rates, errors and cases requiring manual handling before considering expansion to other border crossings or ASEAN countries.
Ireland
Irish lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow Public Services Card holders voluntarily to use the card as proof of identity beyond the public bodies currently specified in law.
The Social Welfare, Civil Registration and Charities (Amendment) Bill 2026 would allow holders to present the card to organisations such as banks or credit unions, while also allowing them to request that their date of birth be added to or removed from the card for age-related uses. Organisations would not gain a general right to demand that someone produce the card.
The proposal has prompted debate over whether wider acceptance could turn the Public Services Card into a de facto national identity document. Lawmakers have also raised concerns about the biometric facial data used in the registration system. The bill remains before lawmakers.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s MyDigital ID app is being updated to support first-time online registration using the country’s redesigned MyKad identity card from 1 October.
The new physical card moves the holder’s photograph and chip, meaning the existing app cannot currently scan it during first-time registration. People who already have a MyDigital ID can continue using it after replacing their physical card.
Until the app is updated, holders of the redesigned card can register using one of nearly 700 physical kiosks or arrange pre-registration when applying for their MyKad at a National Registration Department counter. Existing MyKad cards remain valid.
Croatia
Croatia is considering its mGrađani application as a tool for electronic age verification as it develops its approach to protecting children online.
Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation Minister Damir Habijan discussed the technology during a meeting of the expert group developing Croatia’s legislation on protecting children in the digital environment. The government is considering national measures around prevention, education, parental support and age verification alongside developments at EU level.
mGrađani is already used for age verification in online sales of alcohol and energy drinks, confirming whether someone is over 18 without sharing additional personal information. According to the announcement, 60 merchants have adopted the system and more than 2,000 checks have been completed.
United States
Oracle Health and ID.me have announced a collaboration to integrate digital identity verification into Oracle Health products for patient intake and healthcare professional credentialing.
Patients will be able to verify their identity digitally before or during check-in and select the records they want to share, with the aim of reducing repetitive forms and simplifying registration.
The integration will also support identity and professional credential verification for practitioners electronically prescribing controlled substances. ID.me said its EPCS credentialing is already used by more than 100,000 prescribers and is now available to Oracle Health customers.
United Kingdom
Kantara Initiative has received accreditation to perform certifications against version 1.0 of the UK Digital Verification Services Trust Framework and its latest supplementary codes.
Kantara says it is currently the only conformity assessment body accredited against the latest requirements. Version 1.0 of the framework went live on 1 September, while updated supplementary codes cover areas including right-to-work and right-to-rent checks.
Kantara has previously certified digital identity providers against earlier versions of the framework, including Signicat and iProov.
Nigeria
Payments company eTranzact has reiterated its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure and its work with the National Identity Management Commission.
The company made the announcement at Nigeria’s International Identity Day event in Abuja, where government and private-sector representatives discussed the role of digital identity and digital public infrastructure in access to services, security and economic development. eTranzact described itself as a strategic partner of NIMC and said it would continue supporting the country’s digital transformation.
United Kingdom
Biometrics specialist Ingenium has begun work on a £3 million UK government contract providing independent testing and assurance for biometric technologies used by the Home Office.
The two-year contract covers biometric algorithm assessment, adversarial detection testing and other assurance work across identity assurance, age assessment and related programmes. Ingenium will evaluate areas including matching performance, sample quality and age-assessment outputs.
The work will also examine performance variation across demographic groups, including age, sex and ethnicity where appropriate, and identify potential bias-related risks. The contract began on 3 September and runs until September 2028.
