In order to keep up with the global trend of “Digital Wallets,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Development plans to launch a digital wallet with identity verification features next year. The initial version will incorporate the functionality of the Mobile Natural Person Certificate, and there are plans to further integrate driver’s licenses and health insurance cards in the future.
As a response to the trend of global “Digital Wallets,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Development plans to launch a digital wallet that integrates various identification documents such as the Natural Person Certificate and driver’s licenses. The testing version of this project is scheduled to be released by the end of this year for concept verification, with a more mature version expected to be launched next year. Currently, the Ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of the Interior to incorporate the functionality of the Mobile Natural Person Certificate, and there are plans to further integrate driver’s licenses and health insurance cards in the future.
It is understood that this digital wallet will adhere to the principle of minimal information disclosure, meaning that service providers can only access specific data with user authorization. For example, when applying for a telecom number, users will not need to provide physical identification documents but instead authorize access to specific data through the Digital Wallet.
As smartphones have become an indispensable part of people’s lives due to their widespread use and technological advancements, tech giants such as Google and Apple have already launched Digital Wallets in the United States. They have also collaborated with state governments to integrate identification documents such as driver’s licenses and ID cards. The European Union is also planning a digital identity framework that allows its citizens to manage various documents through a digital identity wallet.
Unlike Google and Apple, Taiwan has chosen to develop its own Digital Wallet. The Director of the Democratic Network Department of the Ministry of Digital Development, Chuang Ying-chih, stated that the department has started the bidding process and plans to develop a testing version by the end of this year. The goal of the department is to make the digital wallet a platform for integrating government-issued documents, with the initial focus being on integrating the Natural Person Certificate.
In Asia, Thailand has also implemented a “national-level digital currency wallet” last year. In order to stimulate usage, the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, reiterated his pre-election promise to distribute encrypted currency worth 10,000 Thai Baht (approximately $300) to citizens aged 16 and above. Unlike Taiwan’s plan, the Thai government’s implementation of this wallet does not primarily focus on identity verification.
It is worth noting that the Thai government recently announced that its nationwide digital currency airdrop program is expected to be launched in May of this year. The Thai government plans to fund this program through a 500 billion Thai Baht loan bill passed in parliament. However, the National Security Council of Thailand recently expressed opposing views on this plan. The Secretary-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Prommin Lertsuridej, stated that this flagship policy and its loan bill are legal, and the opinions of the National Security Council regarding this plan will be used to ensure its smooth implementation.