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- The government of Brazil has announced plans to integrate blockchain technology into its national identity program.
- Argentina has launched a similar initiative with both South American countries tapping into Ethereum blockchain technology, clearly illustrating its superiority.
Brazil has unveiled plans to digitize its national identity program by integrating blockchain technology. With a population of more than 200 million people, this is a massive undertaking by the government. The government intends to begin with the states of Rio de Janeiro, Goiás, and Paraná to offer its on-chain identification documents. According to a decree dated February 23, 2022, all issuing bodies should be able to issue on-chain identity documents by November 6th.
To accomplish this undertaking, the government has developed a private blockchain developed by Serpro, Brazil’s national data processing service. By utilizing blockchain technology, the government is introducing cutting-edge security, efficiency, and a streamlined bureaucratic process. President of Serpro, Alexandre Amorim, further discusses the ability to verify the authenticity of documents as well as the protection of personal data as other factors that have led to the adoption of blockchain technology. He stated;
Blockchain technology plays a critical role in protecting personal data and preventing fraud, offering a more secure digital experience for Brazilian citizens. Utilizing the b-Cadastros blockchain platform significantly enhances the security and reliability of the National Identity Card project.
The initiative further unifies different government sectors across almost 30 states. This according to the announcement could be critical in the government’s fight against organized crime. In addition to digitizing its national identity program, the government is further making significant strides in its plans to launch a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Furthermore, it has unveiled detailed plans for tokenizing assets.
This development comes just days after Argentina launched a similar initiative. As CNF reported, the capital of Argentina has announced it will issue a blockchain-based digital ID to be issued on the Ethereum blockchain. Similarly, the government plans to expand the program in the coming months to onboard the entire nation.
Interestingly, the two countries are not only South American but are also members of BRICS. Brazil is one of the founding members and Argentina was confirmed a few months ago. Their adoption of blockchain technology could be a setting trend in the bloc which is increasingly challenging Western countries and the U.S. dollar. Other member countries including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates have openly expressed interest or are already integrating blockchain technology in different government sectors.
In Ethiopia for example, the Ministry of Education has integrated the Cardano blockchain for its transparent nature and its immutability, allowing anyone to verify students’ education records. The program aimed to identify fake degrees and fraud in the education system.
