- Buenos Aires has launched a digital identity service called QuarkID that uses zero-knowledge proofs.
- A service that enables privacy protection by verifying documents without disclosing personal data.
- QuarkID will expand nationally, with pilots also underway in other Argentina regions.
The City of Buenos Aires has unveiled QuarkID, a groundbreaking digital identity verification service that aims to enhance residents’ privacy through advanced encryption techniques known as zero-knowledge proofs.
Integrated into the miBA app, a platform that has been facilitating access to municipal services for the past seven years, QuarkID seeks to give approximately 3.6 million people greater control over their personal information.
Zero-knowledge proofs allow users to verify the authenticity of a document without revealing unnecessary personal data. For example, when purchasing alcohol, residents can verify their age without revealing their date of birth or address.
This approach is designed to empower citizens by providing a sovereign identity system that prioritizes privacy and security.
“From the beginning, the decision was to create a self-sovereign identity system so that citizens can enjoy privacy and security for the documents they take ownership of,” said Diego Fernandez, Buenos Aires’ Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation.
While zero-knowledge proofs can operate independently of blockchain technology, QuarkID leverages the Ethereum layer 2 network ZKsync Era, which acts as a “security anchor.” This reduces the risk of identity theft and fraud because it can be proven that the data existed in a specific format at a specific time.
Users can upload more than 60 documents, including birth certificates and immunization records, with additional documents to be added in the coming months. Importantly, third parties, including local governments, have no control over these documents, greatly mitigating the risk of data breaches.
The plan promises to save the government money compared to traditional document management methods, and the pilot program will expand beyond Buenos Aires to regions such as Jujuy and Tucumán, as well as small towns such as Luján de Cuyo.
Fernandez emphasized the potential for national expansion, saying technologies developed in Buenos Aires could be implemented throughout Argentina, as well as in other Latin American countries such as Uruguay.