The new year is set to turn around smart ID cards embedding a digital identity that citizens can use in the Maldives. Around 80% of citizens aged 10 and above have enrolled in the digital ID system connecting to the OneGov platform, as reported by BiometricUpdate.com.
The Minister of Homeland Security and Technology hinted at holistic efforts to support digital inclusion across the country, allowing access for all citizens in remote or mainstream regions with robust cybersecurity and data interoperability between vital agencies.
Addressing all these areas of economic growth, they will also be ironing out any public concerns around functionality of the existing e-pass digital ID to be recognised as a fully developed digital economy accounting for 15% of GDP.
The Maldives’ 2026 launch of a multifunctional Smart ID card, integrating biometrics with Mastercard payment capabilities, is a landmark case study for the Digital ID in Government and Digital ID in Finance sessions at Identity Week Europe 2026. This initiative, supported by technology from Regula, a silver sponsor of Identity Week Europe, highlights the convergence of civil identity and financial inclusion. The Digital Wallets session, led by Viky Manaila, focuses on how nations are evolving legacy systems into high-assurance digital ecosystems. Explore these cross-sector synergies with speakers from the World Bank and global ID leaders this June.
