World Bank Backs 70-Page Digital Wallet Blueprint for User-Centric IDs
Updated
Updated · Biometric Update · Jun 19
World Bank Backs 70-Page Digital Wallet Blueprint for User-Centric IDs
3 articles · Updated · Biometric Update · Jun 19
Summary
A 70-page World Bank policy note says countries should make digital wallets and Verifiable Credentials the foundation of digital identity, replacing siloed systems with modular, standards-based infrastructure.
The note argues wallets can merge identity, payments and e-signatures into one interoperable platform, shifting control from centralized databases to users who hold and selectively share their own proofs.
World Bank recommends open standards including W3C Verifiable Credentials, clear separation of issuers, wallet providers and verifiers, and inclusive design so people without smartphones or digital skills are not excluded.
Examples already cited include MOSIP's Inji wallet for social benefits, Kenya's planned student credentials, and wallet projects in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Benin and Morocco.
The paper frames wallets not as a standalone app but as critical digital public infrastructure that could support cross-border use and broader public-private digital ID ecosystems.
Why are 40+ countries building critical infrastructure on digital ID standards that are still officially in development?
If digital wallets give us data control, who is liable when our digital identity is stolen or lost forever?
Will decentralized IDs empower citizens, or create new forms of control and surveillance by tech giants and governments?
Digital Wallets as Public Infrastructure: The World Bank’s 2026 Blueprint for User-Centric, Inclusive, and Interoperable Digital Identity
Overview
The World Bank’s new policy note, "Digital Wallets: A New Paradigm," sets out a strategic roadmap for countries to build next-generation, user-centric digital identity systems. Moving away from traditional, centralized approaches, the blueprint calls for modular and standards-based architectures using open standards like W3C Verifiable Credentials. This shift aims to break down data silos and enable seamless interoperability across borders and sectors. Digital wallets are at the center of this vision, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal data, enhancing privacy, and supporting secure, inclusive access to essential services in the digital economy.