Buenos Aires has launched an innovative digital ID service known as QuarkID, which utilizes zero-knowledge proofs to enhance user privacy. This new initiative allows for the validation of documents without exposing personal information. Following its successful launch, QuarkID is set to expand nationwide, with pilot programs already in progress across various regions in Argentina.
The City of Buenos Aires has unveiled a pioneering digital ID service, QuarkID, designed to bolster the privacy of its citizens through sophisticated encryption methods, specifically zero-knowledge proofs.
By integrating QuarkID with the existing miBA app—a platform that has been supporting public service access for the last seven years—we aim to empower approximately 3.6 million residents of Buenos Aires with greater control over their personal data.
Utilizing zero-knowledge proofs, users are able to confirm the legitimacy of their documents without disclosing sensitive personal information. For instance, residents can prove their age while buying alcohol without having to disclose their full birth date or address.
This innovative method is intended to provide a self-sovereign identification system that emphasizes both privacy and security. Diego Fernández, the Secretary of Innovation and Digital Transformation in Buenos Aires, remarked, “Our initial goal was to craft a self-sovereign identity framework that ensures privacy and security for the documents residents manage.”
While zero-knowledge proofs can function independently of blockchain, QuarkID utilizes the ZKsync Era on the Ethereum layer 2 network as a “security anchor.” This framework guarantees that the data maintains its integrity at a set time, minimizing opportunities for identity theft and fraud.
Users can upload over 60 types of documents, from birth certificates to vaccination records, with plans to incorporate additional documents in the future. Notably, these documents are securely managed, meaning that third parties—including municipal authorities—do not have access, thereby significantly decreasing the likelihood of data breaches.
This initiative also offers potential cost savings for governments compared to traditional document management systems. The pilot program is set to extend beyond Buenos Aires, with initiatives in provinces like Jujuy and Tucuman, and even smaller municipalities such as Luján de Cuyo.
Fernández emphasized that there is significant potential for this technology to be adopted across Argentina and potentially to other countries in Latin America, including Uruguay.
