National Digital Identity (Bhutan NDI)

Envisioned by His Majesty the King, Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) was funded and overseen by the Government Technology (GovTech) Agency and developed as an innovation project by DHI InnoTech. Conceptualized in 2021, Bhutan NDI was launched nationwide on October 13, 2023. Today, Bhutan NDI has spun off as a start-up, a technology company 100% by DHI. 

Bhutan NDI is a cutting-edge digital identity solution that provides secure and verifiable identity-related credentials to Bhutanese citizens. The ecosystem has been designed on the principles of the self-sovereign identity (SSI) philosophy based on Decentralized Identifier (DID) technology, which allows individuals to maintain greater control over their personal information and decide who has access to it.

Bhutan NDI, at its core, embodies the following mandates:

1. Empowerment: Bhutan NDI empowers citizens by providing easy access to essential government and business services, promoting digital inclusion for all.
2. Data Privacy: Citizens maintain control over their personal data, selecting which entities they authorise to access their information, thus ensuring privacy and safeguarding sensitive data.
3. Data Security: The platform establishes a highly secure National Digital Identity system, leveraging decentralised public key infrastructure to enhance the security and integrity of personal data.
4. Inclusivity and Accessibility: The NDI Act promotes inclusivity, accessibility, and equity by catering to individuals with limited digital literacy, financial stability, and those who are differently abled.

The launch of Bhutan NDI—the first sovereign country to rollout an SSI-based decentralized national identity at a population scale—marked a significant milestone for DHI and the nation at large. represents a major step forward in the country's digital transformation efforts. By providing a secure and reliable digital identity solution, Bhutan NDI will enable citizens to access a wide range of government-to-citizen services as well as private sector services with convenience, efficiency, and importantly security and privacy.