Blockchain Powers First-Ever Passport-Free Travel Between Canada and the Netherlands

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Thanks to blockchain technology, Canadian and Dutch travelers no longer have to show their passports when traveling between their two countries.

Canada and the Netherlands launched a pilot project this week to allow their citizens to download a mobile app which stores and encrypts all of their passport data, according to a press release from the World Economic Forum (WEF) which is managing the venture.

“The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the governments of Canada, the Netherlands and industry partners, launched the first-ever passport-free pilot project between the two countries.”

The app, which can be used for travel between the two countries, reportedly passes information to border police and airlines before the passenger leaves for the airport, and then biometrics are used upon arrival to confirm their identity.

The platform, titled the Known Traveller Digital Identity, won’t pass along information without the user’s consent, according to the WEF.

Says Christoph Wolff, the WEF’s head of mobility,

“By 2030, international air travel is expected to rise to 1.8 billion passengers, up 50% from 2016. With current systems, airports cannot keep up. This project offers a solution. By using interoperable digital identities, passengers benefit from a holistic system for secure and seamless travel. It will shape the future of aviation and security.”