Digital identity systems
Enable the creation, management, and authentication of unique identities for use in digital scenarios.
Digital Public Infrastructure
Our goal
To encourage and equip low- and middle-income countries to adopt safe and inclusive digital public infrastructure to advance the global Sustainable Development Goals.
At a glance
- Digital public infrastructure (DPI) is foundational, re-usable digital building blocks—such as digital payments, ID, and data sharing—designed for the public benefit.
- DPI spans the entire economy, connecting people, data, and money in much the same way that roads and railways connect people and goods.
- Countries that build safe and inclusive DPI can create a vibrant and competitive economy, foster trust between governments and citizens, and deliver essential services and economic opportunity across finance, health, climate, and agriculture.
- Safe and inclusive DPI can ultimately help advance progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that everyone can prosper, especially women and people with the lowest incomes.
Our strategy
The foundation is focusing its initial DPI efforts on supporting countries in building three of the core elements of DPI:
Digital payment systems
Enable governments, businesses, and individuals to instantly send and receive money, regardless of who hosts the underlying accounts. This work is overseen by our Inclusive Financial Systems team.
Data exchange systems
Enable individuals, organizations, and governments to safely share digital information.
Additional components we aim to explore
Consent, credentials, registries, and digital signatures—so countries can build open, standardized, and interoperable systems that enable inclusive economic participation and more effective public services.
Digital Public Infrastructure
Learn more“Just as we built roads, highways, and airports in the 20th century, we must now build a digital infrastructure that is open, accessible, and empowers everyone.”Ingrid HansenFounder & Executive Director
Latest grants
IDinsight
View granteeCivitas ID Incorporated
View granteeSenegal Numérique (SENUM-SA)
View granteeAsian Institute of Technology
View granteeCarnegie Mellon University
View granteeID4Africa
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Why focus on digital public infrastructure?
Our foundation has been supporting more inclusive financial systems for nearly two decades, and we have seen how new technology can transform lives, provide a pathway out of poverty, and spur economic growth.
But digital financial inclusion is not happening quickly enough. Many people in low- and middle-income countries, especially women, are still being left behind.
Countries that allow a laissez-faire market approach to digital services risk becoming dominated by monopolies that charge high fees or having multiple systems that don’t interact. People, businesses, and the government itself will be exposed to risks that include fraud, cyberattacks, and illicit financial flows if well-governed, high-quality safeguards are not put in place.
And digital systems will only reinforce inequity if they aren’t designed to meet the needs of women and those with the least access to resources and opportunity. Many countries are eager to build safe and inclusive digital public infrastructure and unlock the full benefits of DPI before it is too late.
Our partners
We do our work in collaboration with grantees and other partners, who join with us in taking risks, pushing for new solutions, and harnessing the transformative power of science and technology.
AfricaNenda
An organization that provides technical assistance to countries to help them establish instant and inclusive payment systems.
Co-Develop
A resource mobilization platform that receives funds from multiple donors to support countries in building DPI.
Digital Public Goods Alliance
A multi-stakeholder initiative to facilitate the discovery, development, use, and investment in digital public goods.
Mojaloop Foundation
A provider of open-source software that lowers the cost of building, maintaining, and modifying inclusive instant payment systems to bring affordable, connected digital financial services to anyone with access to a mobile phone.
MOSIP
A provider of modular and open-source technology that enables countries to build and own their national identity systems.
The World Bank’s Identification for Development (ID4D) and Digitalizing G2P Payments (G2Px) initiatives
Initiatives that provide technical assistance to countries and regions in adopting identification systems and government-to-people digital payments, respectively.
Ideas on digital public infrastructure
Article
The digital finance fix helping Nigeria’s market vendors grow their businesses
See how a partnership between Lagos Business School and local innovators is using digital finance to empower small business owners in Nigeria.
Feature Story
Unlocking women’s economic power through digital public infrastructure
Including women in digital systems could add US$4.9 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
Video
Digital banking is helping women to unlock their full potential
Access to digital banking services from the doorstep allows women to take control of their finances.
Video
Financial independence through last mile service delivery
Ram Bhatari tells her story about receiving a pension with digital tools through India Post Payments Bank.
