Bhutan Launches World’s First National Ethereum ID System — 800,000 Residents to Migrate by Q1 2026

Bhutan Ethereum identity integration has been completed as the Himalayan kingdom migrates its national self-sovereign identity system from Polygon to Ethereum. The deployment was marked by attendance from Ethereum Foundation Chair Aya Miyaguchi, co-founder Vitalik Buterin, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuk. Authorities state the migration will enable nearly 800,000 residents to verify credentials and access government services, with full transfer of resident credentials scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026.

The transition follows Bhutan’s national identity operation on Polygon since August 2024 and earlier use of Hyperledger Indy, reflecting a shift toward on-chain interoperability and standardized credentialing. Stakeholders describe the move as a national-level implementation of Ethereum identity infrastructure intended to support public-sector digital verification without conjecture or unverified forecasts.