How Asian governments are tackling digital ID and trust

The phrase ‘digital identification’ conjures up vivid images of the future, which may include flying cards and everyone living in VR, but the concept is already here and advanced in many parts of Asia.

Forward-thinking governments across the region have turned their already-successful physical ID card programmes into trusted digital infrastructure that unlock a new world of convenience for their citizens.

Here, we analyze the digital identification plays of four countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and India, where trust is established using identity proofing tied to physical cards or foundational ID systems.

Singapore

Singapore is a beacon for forward-thinking digital ID programs. Singpass is its initiative for national identity which enables secure access to public and private sector services in a simple way that pushed the envelope globally when it launched in 2003.

Today, individuals who reside in Singapore can sign up to Singpass to unlock more than 2,000 services. These range from maintaining health records to applying for housing, paying taxes, banking, getting a phone number or even checking private company information. Online, Singpass can be used to sign digital documents, with verification coming from biometrics or an OTP (one-time password) sent via SMS.

Simplicity in a digital age

For convenience in today’s digital era, there’s the Singpass Digital IC (Identity Card). That’s a secure digital ID that sits in the Singpass app that can be used as convenient proof of identity for most government and certain business services.

The strategy isn’t just about identification. Singpass holders use its MyInfo feature to provide personal data, which is then reused for services to avoid the need for repetitive data entry. 

Singpass helped simplify identity and develop trust in a way that reduces fraud and increases accountability. It is already essential for core services like banking and communication. The real innovation comes from ease-of-use thanks to the Digital IC and online services.

Single point of failure

Singapore makes it look simple, but single-point access to a bouquet of services is not simple in many countries. If there’s criticism, it would be that Singpass is all-encompassing which can create a single point of failure.

For that reason, Singaporean citizens are increasingly nervous about revealing access to their Singpass IDs. Scammers have duped hundreds into revealing their credentials through fake jobs and other duplicitous schemes. 

Once acquired, the ID would be used to open bank accounts. There are even cases of scammers paying for identity theft. A man was jailed in 2024 for selling his ID to an individual who funneled money into a bank account.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s approach to digital identity reflects its position as a financial and services hub. The government’s iAM Smart platform launched in 2020 to provide residents with a single digital identity for accessing public services and some private sector applications.

iAM Smart is anchored to the Hong Kong Identity Card, which remains the foundational proofing mechanism. Once registered, users can use the mobile app to log in to government portals, pre-fill forms and access services using a single identity. Users can upgrade their app to iAM Smart+ to add digital signing functionality.

Like Singapore, the emphasis is on convenience and standardisation. A reduction in repetitive form filling and credentials makes digital services feel more seamless with verification tied back to a physical ID.

Trust through tiers but lacking stronger use case

Hong Kong’s digital identity runs as a tiered model. Basic authentication covers most everyday services, while higher-risk transactions require upgraded verification to iAM Smart+.

Despite the similarities, adoption has been slower than in Singapore and iAM Smart remains government-centric with adoption in the private sector limited. The challenge for Hong Kong is turning digital ID into something citizens rely on daily, much their Octopus card, which has extended its use from domestic transport to payments and overseas usage.

Japan

Japan’s digital identity journey has been cautious and incremental, shaped by strong public sensitivity around privacy and data misuse. The country’s foundational system is the My Number framework, which was introduced in 2016 and linked to a physical My Number Card.

Initially focused on core services like tax, social security and disaster response, the system has since expanded into healthcare, administrative services and identity verification. Trust is rooted in strong legal frameworks and there are clear limits on how data can be used across government agencies.

In recent years, Japan has accelerated its efforts under the leadership of the Digital Agency of Japan, which is pushing to modernise public services and improve usability.

From card to smartphone

Like Singapore and Hong Kong, a major shift is the move from plastic cards to mobile credentials. 

The My Number Card can now be integrated into smartphones, allowing users to authenticate and sign digitally without carrying a physical card. This signals a transition from identity as an object to identity as an embedded service.

Japan’s approach prioritises legitimacy and governance over speed. Progress has certainly been slower than in other parts of Asia, but trust is built through predictability, regulation and gradual adoption. The open question is whether this careful approach can keep pace as expectations around digital services continue to rise.

India

India may be the most ambitious digital identity experiment in the world, both in scale and scope. Aadhaar is the backbone of the country’s digital trust infrastructure, and it provides biometric identity to more than a billion residents.

Aadhaar is not just an ID system, however. It is the key to a broader set of digital public infrastructure services. That’s known as India Stack, and it includes electronic KYC, digital signatures and payment rails. Together, these systems allow identity to be verified instantly and remotely at unprecedented scale.

Trust here is built through reach and functionality rather than elegance. Aadhaar enables access to banking, welfare, telecom services and healthcare. One of its biggest successes is that many people registered with Aadhaar previously lacked formal identity, so it is helping to widen participation in .

Scale versus consent

But for all its good, India’s model has also sparked debate. There is considerable concern around privacy, surveillance and data security. Indeed, the discourse has led to court rulings and tighter rules on how Aadhaar data can be used.

Despite this, the system continues to expand due to its practical value. Digital identity is not optional infrastructure in India. Those without Aadhaar are shut out of many services. Trust has emerged through necessity and ubiquity, but there remain questions around consent and governance.

India shows what happens when digital ID becomes foundational national infrastructure rather than a convenience layer. The digital push is, however, more complicated. While there is a mobile app with typical functionality, technical glitches, device compatibility, cost of access and other factors put a limit on how broadly adopted it can be.

Digital is the norm and interoperability is the future

Your national ID is no longer just a physical card. It is an identity tied to a digital ecosystem but there’s a lot more brewing.

Here are some predictions on where we see the most advanced programs are headed in the next few years.

• Mobile-first identity will become the default
• ID programs will evolve from access tools to public infrastructure
• Interoperability will become the next focus as digital services cross borders
• Data security and resilience will become paramount