Biometric credentials upgrading government service delivery around the world

The trend of biometrics backing the government-issued credentials and online service platforms that provide access to digital pubic services is expanding around the world, as seen in the top articles of the week on Biometric Update. New Zealand is seeking information as it builds its national system, Idemia is partnering up to support projects from Armenia to Saudi Arabia and new cards made with Veridos technology are coming to Guyana in 2026.

Meanwhile, Persona is the latest biometrics provider to pick up a multi hundred-million dollar funding round.

Top biometrics news of the week

An RFI from New Zealand’s government seeks information on the suppliers and technologies that can help build the country’s national digital identity infrastructure. New Zealand is setting up a Trust Register for accredited providers and a centralized issuance platform shared by multiple government agencies to issue credentials in line with the country’s Digital Identity Services Trust Framework, meaning W3C Verifiable Credentials or ISO 18013-compliant mobile driver’s licenses.

A pilot of the Mesob platform for digital government service delivery has launched in Ethiopia. Services from 12 government ministries and agencies are included in the trial, including registration for driver’s licenses and the national digital ID, Fayda, and for tax, education and financial services. The government will take the opportunity to evaluate the platform’s performance and user experience before a full production rollout.

The U.S. Social Security Administration is introducing a way to store your Social Security Number in an online account accessible from personal devices through a “my Social Security” account. The feature does not replace the SSN card for identity verification, however, and user comments reflect SSN’s dubious usefulness for IDV and the government’s dubious reputation on data privacy.

As biometrics provide the identity assurance backing ever more government projects around the world, Idemia’s partnerships grow in number and scale. An MoU in Saudi Arabia, 23 new offices for it’s consortium in Armenia, and a biometrics research facility at West Virginia University launched by Idemia NSS are the latest examples.

Guyana is planning to introduce a new version of its national ID card, which Veridos holds a biometrics contract for, next year to ease access to online public and private-sector services. The cards are also intended to help distinguish citizens of the country from foreign residents.

Mexico’s government is moving ahead with the introduction of a new ID document, the Llave MX, updates the CURP ID number system with biometrics to gain efficiency and cut  fraud. But Mexico’s judiciary has declared the creation of a centralized biometric system unconstitutional before, and could again amid continuing tensions between the governing party and judiciary.

Sri Lanka is preparing to tender contracts for implementing the MOSIP digital ID platform, the country’s digital economy minister says. The country has already successfully completed a pilot project and expects to call the tenders some time in the next three months.

Papua New Guinea is planning to integrate data across civil registration, bank, telecom and superannuation systems, with user consent following a successful digital identity pilot last year. The process will start with finding out which entities hold what personal data, and involve aligning data with forthcoming Digital ID Trust Framework.

The World Economic Forum has launched what it calls the Connected Future Initiative to help DPI projects keep up with emerging technologies like AI. And the WEF estimates “GovTech” could deliver $10 trillion in value over the next decade, pointing to initiatives in Brazil and Caribbean nations.

Persona has reported one of the year’s biggest biometrics funding rounds of 2025, with a $200 million series D. The company’s valuation reached $2 billion, rewarding its achievements in doubling its customer base and delivering capabilities for navigating a complex ecosystem of real people, good and bad bots, and fragmented privacy regulations.

G+D Ventures reviews lessons from its successful investment in IDnow, from recognizing the value of its remote video identification in 2018 to its acquisition by Corsair Capital in March, one of the few deals so far this year bigger than Persona’s. The Medium post highlights the importance of agility and experience in early stages, the tailwind that regulation can provide, and why establishing a winning product in a single market is the best way to start.

Google Wallet continues to spread its wings across the market, with support for UK digital ID passes and some out-loud pondering about DIATF certification. Support for IDs from more American states is coming soon, and ZKPs have been integrated to support age assurance use cases.

An RFI from U.S. Customs and Border Protection seeks information on technologies that can capture face biometrics from all the occupants of private vehicles at land border crossings. The system under consideration would act as a backup to biometrics capture in the “Pre-Primary Zone.”

Ondato CMO Vytautas Urbonas breaks down the latest tariff reversals by U.S. President Trump and predicts compliance costs will rise in a guest post for Biometric Update.

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Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  government services  |  week in review