09-09-2026 
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Digital ID adoption is accelerating across Asia-Pacific, but major gaps in access and usage remain. While the World Bank estimates 2.8 billion people globally still lack access to government-recognized digital IDs, countries across the region are taking different approaches to closing the identity gap.
- World Bank: 2.8 billion still lack access to digital ID
- Digital ID adoption varies widely across Asia-Pacific
- Bangladesh plans lifelong digital ID for all citizens
From the uneven digital ID divide in APAC to Bangladesh’s proposed lifelong One-ID system, governments are looking to use digital ID as a foundation for more accessible public services.
World Bank estimates 2.8 billion remains excluded from government digital ID
A new report by the World Bank titled “ID4D Global Dataset 2025: Trends in Identification for Development” estimated that around 2.8 billion people in the world still do not have access to digital ID systems, while 800 million remain without legal identity, and 450 million children’s births were never registered.
“Although many economies have built government recognized digital ID systems, an estimated 2.8 billion people still do not have access to these systems,” the bank said.
In addition, the World Bank said that in most middle-income countries, such as Jordan, Turkey, and Ukraine, women are less likely than men to own digital IDs. This pattern, the authors claimed, could be due to lower rates of female smartphone ownership and digital literacy; however, they said that more data is needed to clarify the disparity.
The report highlights that having a digital identity infrastructure does not guarantee widespread adoption. For instance, in Vietnam, more than 70% of adults reportedly have a digital ID, but fewer than one in five have actually used it. Turkey shows a similar gap: while digital ID ownership stands at 80%, only half of users have used their digital credentials.
“In many economies with digital ID ecosystems, a relatively small share of the population owns a digital ID, and an even smaller share has actually used it,” it explained.
Authors Saniya Ansar, Julia Michal Clark, and Jorin Margaux Wolff caution that digital ID programs often rely on paper-based or physical identity documents during enrollment, and that if weaknesses in foundational systems aren’t addressed, digital IDs may continue to reinforce inequalities.
“Proof of identity, whether in-person or online, should empower people and unlock tangible value, such as access to banking, healthcare, government services, and formal employment… [This] requires designing systems that prioritize accessibility and meet the needs of those most systematically excluded: women, adults with limited education, and the poor and rural populations, particularly in SSA and LICs,” the report concluded.
Asia-Pacific: Digital ID in different countries advances at different phases
Meanwhile, the Statelessness Encyclopedia Asia Pacific (SEAP) recently released a report revealing that countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region have different approaches to legal and digital identity, creating both new opportunities for inclusion and exposing millions of stateless and undocumented people.
The report focuses on South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia and finds that most countries in these regions rely heavily on national ID cards, resident identity cards, or citizen ID cards as their primary legal identity documents rather than birth certificates.
However, the SEAP found that advances in digital ID systems are uneven in APAC and are developing at different speeds.
South Asia has some of the longest-running and largest-scale programs, including India’s Aadhaar and Bangladesh’s National ID. In India, however, Aadhaar is not legally considered proof of nationality, but can be used for education and other government services.
In Southeast Asia, eight of the region’s 11 countries have near-operational or working digital ID platforms. The Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam have taken a foundational approach to linking their digital IDs to national population or civil-registration systems. In contrast, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand primarily use digital IDs as authentication platforms for accessing government and private-sector services.
As for East Asia, its digital IDs follow another model. Countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mongolia generally operate government-developed digital platforms that provide access to public and private services while remaining separate from foundational identity documents. Japan’s national ID—the My Number Card—combines foundational identification with electronic authentication and digital signatures.
Central Asia is also moving toward greater digitalization. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have more integrated systems linked to national identity registers, while Uzbekistan and Tajikistan rely more heavily on functional authentication platforms. Meanwhile, the Pacific remains at an earlier stage. Only Australia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu currently have digital ID systems in place among the region’s 17 countries.
Bangladesh introduces lifelong digital ID for every citizen
Bangladesh is proposing a Unified Digital Identity, or One-ID, as a single lifelong digital identity card for every citizen, to be used across various services, from healthcare and education to welfare programs and digital transactions.
With the proposed One-ID, Bangladeshis would receive a unique and permanent identity from birth throughout their life. This marks the overhaul of the country’s current ID system, where people rely on multiple documents and identification numbers for different purposes.
Under the proposed new digital ID, public services linked to documents such as the NID, Family Card, and Farmer Card could be brought under the One-ID; however, as of this time, officials have yet to finalize which information and services will be included.
Information and technology adviser Rehan Asif described the concept of the ID as “One Citizen, One Digital ID, One Wallet.” It is envisioned that the digital ID could also facilitate digital transactions. It is part of the proposed Digital Service Transformation for Access and Resilience (D-STAR) project, expected to run from this year until 2031 and led by the Bangladesh Computer Council. The D-STAR project has already been submitted to the Planning Commission for approval.
The D-STAR is estimated to cost around 91.93 billion Bangladeshi taka ($747 million). The government will contribute 76.63 taka ($623 million), and the World Bank will add 15.30 billion ($124 million) in loans.
The initial plans for the IDs are to cover about 180 million citizens in the country; however, 200 million polycarbonate chips would be produced, each estimated to cost 246 taka ($2) to produce and print, and an additional cost of 123 taka ($1) each to distribute, totaling 369 taka (or $3) per ID.
The largest portion of the project, about 73.80 billion taka ($600 million), will go toward producing and distributing the IDs and collecting biometric information, such as fingerprints.
Experts say the project will link records for birth registrations, NIDs, passports, driving licenses, and tax identification, aiming to eliminate duplicate data collection and reduce bureaucratic hassles for citizens.
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