Taiwan rolls out test-run for digital ID wallet

Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs this week launched a sandbox for the country’s digital wallet credential program to identify potential flaws before full nationwide implementation.

The sandbox, which follows the unveiling of the wallet’s prototype last month, will see the participation of people from the academia, enterprise and cybersecurity domains, according to Taiwan News.

The ministry has been explaining the importance of the digital wallet, saying the purpose is to enable citizens securely store their ID documents, making their credentials easily accessible on their mobile phones.

When the prototype for the digital wallet was unveiled, the Minister of Digital Affairs, Huang Yen-nun, said the move is in furtherance of Taiwan’s digital transformation agenda, which includes facilitating access to digital public services and ensuring digital ID verification for international trade and helping strengthen the country’s digital economy.

The Director of International Affairs of the ministry, Chuang Ying-chih, is quoted as saying that the sandbox is an opportunity for people from these diverse domains to test the efficiency and functionalities of the system, and to make recommendations for fixes before the final product is rolled out for a pilot. The hope is to make the wallet available for nationwide use by the end of this year.

The official said measures have also been taken to ensure that the wallet is built with the required international standards for ID authentication, security, and privacy. These measures include building a multi-factor authentication system for enhanced security.

Once the digital ID wallet is set for nationwide rollout, it will enable citizens carry digital versions of their identity documents such as national ID, health insurance card or driver’s license, as well as other digital certificates. Officials say the payments will not be immediately available on the wallet.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Taiwan