Citizens of Zug will shift to blockchain IDs

Authorities of the Swiss City of Zug are launching Ethereum-based identity service for citizens in autumn. A corresponding announcement was made on the city’s website.

The uPort platform was used as the base of the service. It was developed in the result of joint efforts of specialists from blockchain company ConsenSys, holding ti&m and the Lucerne University. The platform envisages the creation of a mobile application, where every user will get a unique crypto-address. User’s ID will be connected to the latter. Platform’s potential covers physical as well as legal persons.

“We want a single electronic identity – a kind of digital passport. And we do not want this digital ID to be centralized – in this case it can be altered or forged. Thanks to blockchain, such an ID will be impossible to lose. The technology will also increase the ID’s safety level,” Dolfi Müller, mayor of Zug, shares his opinion.

Local citizens can register and get verified by city officials. The launch of the project is scheduled for September of 2017.