A new report from the World Bank has revealed that billions are still without access to digital identity amid major milestones recorded since the start of the decade.
The report gleaned its figures from the ID4D Global Findex Database 2025, noting that nearly three billion individuals lack access to proof of identity. The World Bank noted that the gap in access to identification cuts off access to essential government services, widening the global digital divide.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the hardest hit, facing low levels of digital ID adoption despite ambitious attempts by its government. Figures show that national ID system coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa has climbed to 80% from 70%, but the leap to digital ID remains far off.
Currently, only 32% of adults in countries with digital ID systems have access to the service, while only 23% of holders deploy them for at least one use case. The report noted that women, rural dwellers, and marginalized individuals face the hardest barriers to digital ID adoption, with penetration being the lowest in low literacy demographics.
While Sub-Saharan Africa sits at the lowest, Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal have rolled out ambitious digital ID initiatives. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific and Latin American nations have launched their own programs to keep pace with the rest of the world.
Europe and North America lead the pack for digital ID adoption, with Turkey recording 81% digital ID ownership, compared to Bolivia’s 5%.
The World Bank unveiled a raft of solutions to introduce digital ID in underserved countries, urging regulators to prioritize registrations at birth. Furthermore, the organization reiterated the importance of fostering trust in digital ID systems while introducing real-life use cases.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resilience Hub has previously offered its policy and technical expertise with emerging technologies to countries seeking robust digital ID systems.
Rising utility for digital IDs
To jolt adoption rates, several countries have begun experimenting with new use cases for digital IDs. Leading global airports are pioneering the use of digital IDs and biometrics to enhance the experiences of travelers, reducing paperwork and check-in delays.
Others are turning to the offering to bolster security architectures, with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) reporting that digital IDs can disrupt the human trafficking industry. However, there are fears that digital IDs will increase government censorship and surveillance, with thousands protesting their nationwide adoption in the U.K.
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Borders go biometric
Elsewhere, Chinese authorities have unveiled plans to expand their biometric-based customs clearance systems across major ports on the Mainland, aiming to enhance connectivity with Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
Port operators will implement “face swiping” at airports, ship ports, and land crossings to Greater China, speeding up clearance processes. For now, the new biometrics clearance system will be operational in Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Xiamen Gaoqi Airport, Nansha, and Guangzhou Pazhou passenger ports.
Furthermore, passengers at the Shenzhen checkpoints in Huanggang, Luohu, Futian, Wenjindu, and Liantang will have access to the biometric customs clearance, which will be open to residents above 14 with valid travel permits to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.
Travelers keen on using the fast-track biometric customs clearance system must consent to the collection and verification of fingerprints, iris scans, and other biometric data at border crossings. Authorities say the new system is a part of a broader initiative to improve the movement of skilled workers between Mainland China and Greater China.
As part of the efforts, the Chinese government has begun liberalizing multi-entry travel permits, granting 240-hour transit visas to foreigners, and expanding the number of ports in the country. Meanwhile, biometric border lanes at Shenzhen Bay Port have recorded a measure of success with users highlighting its efficiency over traditional paper-based verification processes.
At the Hengqin Port, authorities are set to launch Smart Immigration Clearance with biometrics. The initiative will launch with 64 automated joint inspection channels with plans to add an additional 46 channels before the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is eyeing the deployment of the biometric customs clearance for the National Games in real-world, high-volume use cases. Previously, Hong Kong has experimented with contactless immigration clearance lanes via the Face Easy e-Channel at the Hong Kong International Airport.
“Registered athletes and relevant personnel will be able to cross the border without having to use any physical identity document; instead, facial recognition technology that completes clearance in seven seconds,” said Benson Kwok Joon-fung, Director of Immigration.
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Inching forward with digital IDs
China has been steadily increasing the size of its bet with the digital ID system, mulling the benefits in immigration and customs processes. In 2023, China proceeded with a blockchain-based ID system to stop data leaks via a public key infrastructure (PKI).
Flowing from the successes of the study, the government launched RealDID to strengthen the national data infrastructure, offering personal identification services and information vouchers. Amid the push for artificial intelligence (AI) in public schools, private technology companies are inching forward to launch digital ID systems for students and teachers with a raft of use cases.
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Watch: What can organizations do to get on the Web3 & digital identity bus?
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Source: https://coingeek.com/china-expands-biometrics-while-billions-lack-digital-id/
