Bhutan is moving its National Digital Identity (NDI) system from Polygon to the Ethereum blockchain to enhance security, as the country continues to lead in blockchain innovation.
The full transition is anticipated by the first quarter of 2026. Jigme Tenzing, Secretary of the GovTech Agency, emphasized that the shift will further strengthen the security of their digital identity platform, which has been running on Polygon since August 2024.
The Bhutan NDI utilizes self-sovereign identity technology to enable the nation’s 800,000 residents to securely manage and share digital credentials for various online services.This move makes Bhutan the first nation to anchor its national digital identity system on Ethereum, a milestone celebrated by Ethereum Foundation President Aya Miyaguchi and co-founder Vitalik Buterin, both of whom attended the launch ceremony.
Beyond its digital identity efforts, Bhutan is also involved in the broader crypto ecosystem. The country has been mining Bitcoin to build its reserves and currently ranks as the world’s sixth-largest government holder of Bitcoin with 6,371 BTC.
October 2025, Cryptoniteuae
