Digital ID and wallets projects broaden their impacts

Digital identification and related software are growing slowly in specific situations – the development of U.S. state driver’s licenses is a good example. But they are expanding into more corners of economies.

Starting with the relative laggard, the state of Colorado now allows citizens to store their state IDs and driver’s licenses in Apple’s Wallet. Tapping Apple’s iPhone and Watch will bring up most of the information that a traffic cop would want after a Wallet owner rushes to a speed trap.

It also will identify travelers at Denver International Airport’s PreCheck checkpoints. The state has posted a lengthy FAQ here.

Colorado joins just two other states, Maryland and Arizona, in going live with digital IDs integrated with Apple’s Wallet. A handful of other states have said they will do the same, according to trade publication 9to5Mac. That publication notes that the Wallet has “finally” spread to a third state.

Those in the air travel are considering a similar move for those working in their industry.

Executives with the International Air Transport Association say the group wants to know if a digital ID would benefit the industry, according to trade publication Travelweek. Association members are meeting with “several airlines and intermediaries” on the idea.

Any digital ID could not be redundant with ID standards, one of which is IATA’s own Agency Code.

For example, the group has issued unique eight-digit physical and more recently digital codes to travel agencies for decades. And the association’s membership card is used by 100,000 people, becoming a primary ID for people in the industry while they travel.

The focus here is boosting security, minimizing fraud and greasing business transactions.

Given that the association is conferring with airlines and others, it seems likely that an umbrella digital ID (or at least back-office rules and procedures) could be in the works.

Meanwhile, digital ID and authentication vendor Argos ID, says it has created the first Travel Rule-compliant unhosted wallet.

Unhosted wallets are those apps not tied into a third party or an exchange – the opposite of Apple’s Wallet. The Travel Rule is a 2019 agreement among a growing number of nations to take specified steps to eliminate money laundering by tracking some transactions. The most valuable of that information is the identity of who is sending and accepting a funds transfer.

The Travel Rule has not been a natural fit for unhosted wallets because they exist to minimize transaction and ownership transparency.

The South Korean software maker claims anyone using its crypto wallet can “easily” verify for the information about multiple wallets, including MetaMask, Phantom and WalletConnect.

Although no personally identifiable information is used to set up an Argos wallet, the company is able to vouch for the identity of its owner, according to Argos.

Article Topics

Apple  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  digital wallets  |  International Air Transport Association  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)