They ensure that the BhutanNDI system protects privacy, using zero-knowledge technology.
The country plans to complete the migration of IDs to Ethereum by 2026.
Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom located on the eastern edge of the Himalayas, launched its Ethereum-based BhutanNDI digital identity system, claiming to protect personal data, using zero-knowledge proofs for verification.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Aya Miyaguchi of the Ethereum Foundation witnessed the system alongside Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. This advance marks a “national” and “global achievement,” said Aya Miyaguchi.
The system that allows secure online identity verification of personal data of the 700,000 people living in Bhutan.
“This milestone marks not only a national achievement, but also a global move towards a more open and secure digital future in the long term,” said Miyaguchi. He then added: “This moment seemed even more significant as it coincides with Ethereum’s 10th anniversary. A reminder of the path traveled, from ideas to their concrete impact in the real world.
The system on Ethereum is now fully operational and the Migration of all credentials to be completed by Q1 2026, said the president of the Foundation.
In this way, the monasteries and fortresses of Bhutan contrast with the vision of turning the country into a 3.0 territory. As CriptoNoticias has previously reported, this small nation between China and India has surprised the world with its foray into digital finance.
The kingdom accumulates a bitcoin reserve equivalent to about 40% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2.9 billion. Unlike other countries, Bhutan does not acquire bitcoin through confiscationsbut through its own mining operations, driven by its abundant hydroelectric energy. According to Arkham, it owns 12,062 BTC, ranking sixth in the world for state holdings.