Over 800,000 Bhutanese citizens will soon rely on a blockchain network originally designed for open finance. This Digital Identity System on Ethereum will secure something far more personal—their national identity.
Building Trust on Neutral Ground
This move isn’t just a tech upgrade. It’s a statement about trust, control, and sovereignty in a world where foreign corporations own most digital infrastructure. As former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi recently warned, Europe’s 80% reliance on foreign digital systems is an “existential challenge.” Bhutan appears to have taken that warning to heart.
By choosing Ethereum, Bhutan is betting on a system that is not controlled by any single company or government. Ethereum is an open, global network secured by thousands of computers around the world. Every transaction and data record on it can be verified by anyone, making it tamper-resistant and transparent. This is what the president of the Ethereum Foundation said about this:
1/ Today, Bhutan celebrates a historic milestone, becoming the first nation to anchor its national digital identity system on Ethereum. 🇧🇹@VitalikButerin and I were honored to join the launch ceremony on behalf of the Ethereum community, graced by His Royal Highness. pic.twitter.com/KA4tOYbsJ4
— Aya Miyaguchi (@AyaMiyagotchi) October 13, 2025
Most governments use enterprise software from big tech firms to run their identity programs. These solutions are fast and polished. But, they come with strings attached. A company can change its terms, increase prices, or even shut down. This will leave countries locked out of systems that store critical data. Bhutan’s decision reflects a desire for digital infrastructure that can’t be altered by quarterly profit motives.
Also, Ethereum offers that neutrality. It’s maintained by an open community of developers and validators, not a single corporate boardroom. That means Bhutan’s digital ID will operate on a platform that can outlive any government or tech company.
More About Decentralized Identity
ZKsync highlighted a major milestone in blockchain recognition, noting that the latest White House report names Zero-Knowledge (ZK) Proofs as critical infrastructure for digital identity and payments. Also, the team emphasized its leadership in this space, pointing to QuarkID, the world’s first government-backed ZK identity system, and Prividium, a blockchain platform built for institutions that combines privacy with interoperability.
The @WhiteHouse report names ZK Proofs as critical infrastructure for digital ID and payments.
ZKsync has pioneered the field—from QuarkID, world’s first ZK identity used by a government, to Prividium, the only institutional blockchain platform with privacy & interoperability.… pic.twitter.com/qHnahjMvgc
— ZKsync (@zksync) July 31, 2025
According to ZKsync, these innovations show that the path forward for privacy, compliance, and open finance will rely heavily on ZK technology. So, this will offer systems that protect user data while enabling transparent, verifiable transactions.