The global identity ecosystem is entering a new phase of transformation. Governments, technology providers, and system integrators are navigating a rapidly shifting landscape where digital identities, advanced verification technologies, next-generation cryptography, and innovative document solutions are redefining how trust is established in both the physical and digital worlds. 

Across the industry, new models are emerging that aim to make identity more secure, portable, and user-centric. Interoperable digital identity frameworks and secure identity wallets are enabling citizens to store and present credentials through mobile devices, supporting use cases across both public and private services. At the same time, decentralized identity and self-sovereign identity (SSI) concepts are gaining traction, introducing new approaches where individuals can control and share verifiable credentials without relying exclusively on centralized databases. 

Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in identity verification. AI-driven biometrics, document authentication, and fraud detection are enabling faster and more secure onboarding processes, while also raising important questions around governance, trust, and the responsible use of automated decision systems. 

In this session, we will explore three of the most impactful trends shaping the future of identity in 2026 and beyond. 

First, we will examine the accelerating adoption of digital and mobile identities. Countries worldwide are piloting or deploying mobile credentials and digital identity wallets, raising a key question for the industry: are mobile identities set to replace physical documents, or will hybrid identity ecosystems combining both formats remain the long-term model? 

Second, we will address the growing importance of post-quantum cryptography (PQC). As quantum computing advances from theory toward practical reality, the identity ecosystem must prepare for a new generation of cryptographic standards capable of protecting secure documents, chips, and digital identity infrastructures in the decades ahead. 

Finally, we will explore an emerging innovation gaining attention in the secure document world: chip-in-paper technologies combined with identity solutions. This approach opens new possibilities for connected credentials, sustainability-driven identity programs, and new applications that complement traditional chip-based documents. 

Join this session to gain a strategic overview of the technologies, challenges, and opportunities shaping the next chapter of the global identity industry