Bhutan is migrating its self-sovereign national ID system from Polygon to Ethereum. This move will allow nearly 800,000 Bhutanese citizens to verify their identities and access government services using Ethereum’s blockchain technology.
According to Ethereum Foundation President Aya Miyaguchi, the integration with Ethereum has been successfully completed, and the migration of all citizen credentials is expected to finish by the first quarter of 2026.
Miyaguchi and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin joined Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuk at the official launch ceremony.
“It’s deeply inspiring to see a nation commit to empowering its citizens with self-sovereign identity,” Miyaguchi posted on X. She described the event as a “world-first” and a major step toward a more open, secure digital future.
Bhutan’s adoption of Ethereum marks the country’s third blockchain-powered ID system, following earlier implementations on Hyperledger Indy and Polygon.
This transition highlights the growing confidence in the solid security, transparency and compatibility of Ethereum with zero-knowledge proofs, which guarantee privacy and data integrity among the citizens.
Other nations such as Brazil and Vietnam have tried blockchain-based identity systems, but Bhutan’s nationwide integration puts it ahead in real-world blockchain adoption.
Beyond identity solutions, Bhutan has quietly become a crypto-forward nation. It has become the fifth-largest country holding Bitcoin with 11,286 BTC worth approximately $1.31 billion, according to BitBo’s Bitcoin Treasuries data, mostly obtained through sustainable hydropower mining.
Recent reports suggest Bhutan may explore additional crypto partnerships after a meeting between government officials and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao in September.
The move further cements Bhutan’s reputation as a forward-looking nation embracing blockchain for economic growth and digital sovereignty.
