Deloitte Partners with Attest on Blockchain-based Government IDs

Deloitte, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, announced on Monday (November 5) that it has partnered with Attest for a blockchain-based government identity (ID) solution.

Attest, which is an identity management company, has two primary digital identity products: Attest Wallet, and Attest Enterprise. Through the collaboration, Deloitte will benefit from these existing platforms.

Together, Deloitte and Attest will work to provide their government-related clients with the tools using digital identities that improve government needs across a “wide expanse of abilities.”

“While many companies are looking at using a personal wallet in which the individual has control of their digital identity credential, government must serve the whole of citizens, including those who may not be able to accept the control of their identity credential in a digital form,” Wendy Henry, managing director of Deloitte Consulting LLP, said in the release.

The Attest Wallet gives users a high level of privacy and security when sharing verified personal data with governments or organizations.The Attest Enterprise, on the other hand, offers governments and businesses the tools for authentication, authorization and consent management that can be implemented into any system with two APIs.

“Blockchain requires a digital credential and in government, requiring a digital credential gets complicated pretty quickly,” Marc Mancher, principal of Deloitte Consulting LLP, said in the release.

Mancher praised Attests’s solutions by saying the platforms are crucial in addressing issues of digital credentials, which makes them “more appealing technology” to government clients.

Cab Morris, co-founder and CEO of Attest said in the release that ID is the basis for many government services in addition to the cornerstone for trust and legitimacy in the public space.

“Combining government’s robust identity verification infrastructure with a platform engineered for security, privacy and scale can also unlock tremendous value for both citizens and businesses outside of government,” Morris added.

According to Morris, government-issued digital IDs will be able to minimize costs and risks for businesses across a wide range of industries. He also said that these IDs will provide the public with a greater sense of security and having control over one’s personal data.

Deloitte’s collaboration with Attest comes on the heals of its “Assessing Blockchain Applications for the Public Sector” report which was released in September. The report looks at six key areas where blockchain could make an impact in government applications, including: consortium, operations, business impacts, talent, compliance and, of course, technology.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.