E-residency and blockchain. Issue 4 (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sullivan, Clare; Burger, Eric
• Is Part Of: Computer law & security review. Volume 33:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 470
• Page End: 481
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: E-Residency -- Blockchain -- KYC -- Data protection -- Digital identity -- Right to identity; Computers -- Law and legislation -- Periodicals; Computer security -- Law and legislation -- Periodicals; Electronic commerce -- Law and legislation -- Periodicals; Data protection -- Law and legislation -- Periodicals; Computer security -- Law and legislation; Computers -- Law and legislation; Data protection -- Law and legislation; Electronic commerce -- Law and legislation; Periodicals; 343.0999
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clsr.2017.03.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2212-473X

Abstract

Abstract: In December 2014, Estonia became the first nation to open its digital borders to enable anyone, anywhere in the world to apply to become an e-Resident. Estonian e-Residency is essentially a commercial initiative. The e-ID issued to Estonian e-Residents enables commercial activities with the public and private sectors. It does not provide citizenship in its traditional sense, and the e-ID provided to e-Residents is not a travel document. However, in many ways it is an international 'passport' to the virtual world. E-Residency is a profound change and the recent announcement that the Estonian government is now partnering with Bitnation to offer a public notary service to Estonian e-Residents based on blockchain technology is of significance. The application of blockchain to e-Residency has the potential to fundamentally change the way identity information is controlled and authenticated. This paper examines the legal, policy, and technical implications of this development.