It used to be science fiction. Now it’s a reality in some countries. Without biometric data, you can’t even take a step today. And the governments of some countries are unfortunately taking advantage of this. In which countries is it not worth having an account if you care about privacy? And why can crypto be a way out of this mess? You’ll find out in today’s article.
Vietnam shocks the world – Is this the beginning of a new era of biometrics?
Let’s start with fresh news from Vietnam. The local central bank has announced that more than 86 million bank accounts, almost half of all accounts, must undergo new verification via biometrics – i.e., fingerprint or face scan. Those who fail to do so risk having their accounts restricted or blocked. This is particularly difficult for foreigners, who often have to do everything in person at a branch. It is not entirely clear whether people will lose their money or just the ability to send payments, but the very fact that the state is linking access to accounts to biometric data has caused quite a stir.
Vietnam is not alone in this. In Nigeria, the government has already blocked the accounts of millions of people until they obtain a national identification number and provide the state with biometric data. In India, there is a huge system called Aadhaar—based on fingerprints and eye scans—and without it, you can’t even pay your electricity bill.
Pakistan has also joined in and started blocking the accounts of those who have not linked to the national ID. Everywhere, this is officially explained as a fight against money laundering or fraud, but for the average person, it means only one thing: if you don’t give the state your fingerprint, your money will not be available to you in the bank.
The EU is taking a different path for now, but digital identity is coming
The situation is different in the West. The European Union is not planning anything this harsh for now. Brussels is mainly concerned with making transactions more transparent and making it easier to detect money laundering. An EU digital identity, known as eIDAS 2.0, is in the works, which is supposed to be a single login for various online services. However, no one is saying yet that your account will be blocked if you don’t scan your finger at the bank. The regulations revolve more around supervision and control than mandatory biometrics.
State biometrics are coming everywhere – are cryptocurrencies the solution?
But even this is a step that makes many people uneasy. Once the state starts to link identity more closely with finances, it opens up a space for control from which it is difficult to back away. You may be wondering: what does this mean for me? If you follow the world of money and care at least a little about freedom, then this is a clear signal that anonymity in traditional banking is disappearing. And that is precisely why there is so much talk about cryptocurrencies.
If what is happening now in Vietnam or Nigeria were to happen here, there would still be an alternative. Bitcoin may not replace traditional banks and may not be entirely practical for everyday payments, but it gives you the option of holding money without having to tie it to your face or fingerprint. Now imagine: if tomorrow your bank told you that without biometrics you’re out of luck, what would you do?
Cryptocurrencies as an atomic bunker – You’ll be glad you have independent reserves
Of course, crypto is no fairy tale either. There is also the threat of hacker attacks, loss of access keys, or government intervention, which can make it difficult to exchange back to crowns or euros. In addition, many wallets are dependent on biometrics, so you are still sharing your identity with someone. But at least it’s not the state. Although critics argue that we are not facing a rosy future, given Worldcoin’s latest idea to introduce retinal scans.
Nevertheless, it is worth considering whether it is better to keep at least part of your savings somewhere where you can keep an eye on them yourself and where no one forces you to provide fingerprints or facial scans. It is more a question of your attitude to money – whether you want to play it safe in the system or keep some of your money outside it.
