Over 1.7 billion people in the world do not have a legal identity. These include refugees, those displaced by war or territorial disputes or natural disasters, victims of ethnic cleansing, children whose birth has not been registered, orphans, or victims of organised crime.

Why is identity important? It is needed for social and financial inclusion (economic empowerment). Those without a legal identity do not have access to healthcare, immunization, education, social benefits. They do not have right to vote and cannot open a bank account.

Many fintech companies are building solutions for legal identity. Several others are working on digital identity, linked to legal identify, to facilitate bank account opening and other financial services.