In a landmark move for digital governance, the Kingdom of Bhutan officially launched its national digital identity system on the Ethereum blockchain on the 13th, positioning itself as the first nation in the world to leverage the technology for sovereign identity at a national scale.

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

The initiative will empower the nation’s approximately 800,000 citizens with verifiable credentials protected by zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). This cutting-edge approach allows individuals to access government services while maintaining a high degree of privacy and control over their personal data.

Miyaguchi Aya, a representative of the Ethereum Foundation, confirmed the integration was completed for the launch. The full migration of credentials for all residents is scheduled to be finalized by the first quarter of 2026.

A World-First in Self-Sovereign Identity

This project marks the world’s first instance of a national ID system fully migrating to a public blockchain like Ethereum. The system is built on a self-sovereign identity model, where citizens hold crucial documents, such as proof of citizenship and residency, in their personal digital wallets instead of on a centralized government database.

The use of zero-knowledge proof technology is a critical advancement for privacy. It enables a citizen to prove their eligibility for a service, such as being over a certain age, without revealing the underlying confidential information like their exact date of birth.

The Rationale for Ethereum and Future Prospects

While Bhutan had previously operated systems on Polygon and Hyperledger Indy, it ultimately chose Ethereum for its high immutability, decentralization, and interoperability. The government endorsed Ethereum as a “public network capable of supporting national-scale governance and decentralized tools,” citing the need to ensure long-term viability for critical state infrastructure.

The launch ceremony was attended by notable figures, including Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. Miyaguchi described the event as a “historic milestone,” praising Bhutan’s commitment to citizen empowerment.

This Ethereum-based system is expected to serve as the foundation for future digital services, including secure voting and streamlined healthcare access. As the first major implementation of a national infrastructure on Ethereum, its progress will be closely watched. Similar moves are being explored on other blockchain platforms like Solana (SOL), signaling a growing trend of state-level adoption of decentralized technology.