Government-Backed Firm to Launch Blockchain IDs in Luxembourg

A major digital identity firm backed by the government of Luxembourg is building a new platform alongside US startup Cambridge Blockchain.

AccessTimeIconMay 15, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. UTC
Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:03 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

A major digital identity firm backed by the government of Luxembourg is building a new platform alongside US startup Cambridge Blockchain.

The initiative, unveiled today, sees the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup partnering with LuxTrust – a company formed in 2005 as part of a big push toward digital identity solutions within Luxembourg that began in the early 2000s.

  • How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
    01:11
    How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
  • Over $1B in U.S. Treasury Notes Has Been Tokenized; FATF Calls for More Regions to Regulate Crypto
    02:04
    Over $1B in U.S. Treasury Notes Has Been Tokenized; FATF Calls for More Regions to Regulate Crypto
  • Moondance Labs CEO on 'Barriers of Entry' for Building Layer 1s
    01:28
    Moondance Labs CEO on 'Barriers of Entry' for Building Layer 1s
  • What Challenges Do Appchains Solve?
    00:59
    What Challenges Do Appchains Solve?
  • The state of Luxembourg owns two-thirds of LuxTrust, with the remainder held by a consortium of banks and financial institutions that utilize its services.

    That firm is now moving to integrate blockchain, setting the stage for at least some of its 500,000-strong subscriber base to utilize the tech in some capacity.

    According to Cambridge Blockchain CEO Matthew Commons, the partnership grew out of initial conversations around digital identity, building on what he described as a shared perspective on some of the pain points in offering such services.

    "By combining LuxTrust's current certified services such as authentication, signature and document management with our innovative blockchain-based enterprise software, our collaboration will deliver the future of digital identity for Europe and beyond," he said.

    The platform developed alongside LuxTrust will be rolled out over the coming months, in what Commons described as a kind of "soft launch". He pointed to data-centric regulations such as the European General Data Protection Regulation – due to come into force in mid-2018 – as a major motivating factor, a factor LuxTrust echoed in statements.

    "Working with Cambridge Blockchain allows us to augment the scope of identities, including any attributes, and will enable users to share personal data fully respecting the increasingly stringent European regulatory framework," said Pascal Rogiest, LuxTrust's CEO.

    The move comes months after Cambridge Blockchain finished raising $2m in a funding round, drawing support from VC firms Partech Ventures and Digital Currency Group. Commons told CoinDesk that the startup is looking to complete a Series A round later this year.

    Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in Cambridge Blockchain.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.