United Nations Expands Blockchain Use After Pension ID System Success

The UN’s blockchain-based identity verification system, implemented to improve its global pension program, has successfully transformed a 70-year-old process, reducing errors and fraud, with plans to extend the technology to other international organizations.

Summary

The United Nations has fully implemented blockchain technology in its Joint Staff Pension Fund, replacing a paper-based system that had been in place for 70 years. This transformation, achieved in partnership with the Hyperledger Foundation, benefits over 70,000 global beneficiaries. The shift, which began with a pilot in 2020 and full deployment in 2021, has reduced errors, fraud, and payment suspensions, with the UN planning to expand the system further and share it as a ‘digital public good’ with other international bodies.

Terms & Concepts
  • Blockchain-powered Digital Certification: An identity verification process that uses blockchain to securely and efficiently confirm beneficiaries’ credentials, reducing fraud and errors.
  • Hyperledger Foundation: An open-source collaborative project that promotes blockchain technologies and frameworks for enterprises, including those used by the UN pension system.
  • Digital Public Good: A digital solution made available for public use to promote social, economic, and environmental benefits, often through open access and scalable infrastructure.