A handshake in Dubai signals a future where identity and payments merge into a single digital layer.
KEN MACON
Visa and TECH5 have entered a seven-year global agreement aimed at accelerating the rollout of digital identity and payment systems under the broader framework of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
The initiative, formalized in Dubai, supports a vision promoted by organizations including the United Nations, the European Union, the World Economic Forum, and Bill Gates. DPI strategies are being pushed as part of a global roadmap to digitize identity and financial access by 2030.
Under this deal, Visa will combine its payments network with TECH5’s biometric and identity technology.
Together, the companies plan to create integrated platforms that allow individuals to store verified credentials and use them to access services and conduct financial transactions. These systems would be built with adaptability in mind, reflecting regional regulations and market conditions.
The collaboration will center on developing identity wallets that not only verify users but also include embedded payment capabilities. TECH5 brings AI-powered systems capable of facial, fingerprint, and iris recognition, while Visa contributes its infrastructure and global experience in digital payments.
Visa will provide strategic and financial support for selected projects. TECH5 will offer the core biometric and identity components.
Both companies say their joint work will prioritize data protection, user consent, and alignment with standards for wallet interoperability and digital credentials.
Machiel van der Harst, Co-founder and CEO of TECH5, said, “Our collaboration with Visa represents a significant step in broadening the reach and applicability of TECH5’s DPI technologies. By combining our identity and biometric expertise with Visa’s global payment network and resources, we are positioned to address the evolving needs of governments and institutions seeking secure and inclusive digital infrastructure.”
Dr. Svyatoslav Senyuta, Vice President and Head of Visa Government Solutions in the CEMEA region, added, “At Visa, we believe that secure, inclusive, and scalable digital identity is foundational to the future of payments.”
Although the announcement describes the agreement as global, neither company has confirmed where initial deployments will take place. Previous collaboration between Visa and TECH5 in Ethiopia helped support the Fayda digital ID system, and both were involved in the early stages of South Africa’s digital ID initiative.
Future pilot programs will depend on local regulations, governmental interest, and the readiness of implementation partners. The companies describe this as a flexible model that will adjust based on jurisdiction-specific needs.
The move reflects a broader international push to integrate verified digital identity with financial services. This is often presented as a way to reduce friction in service delivery, expand inclusion, and prevent fraud. However, privacy advocates continue to raise alarms over the implications of centralizing both identification and payment systems.
By embedding biometric ID into the infrastructure of daily life, these systems risk enabling mass surveillance, particularly in regions where transparency and oversight are weak. Claims around data protection and consent rely heavily on implementation details, many of which remain vague.
This article (Visa Enters The Digital ID Race) was created and published by Reclaim the Net and is republished here under “Fair Use” with attribution to the author Ken Macon
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Urgent: Why You Should Sign This Petition Today
If you only ever sign one petition in your life, make it this one — for the sake of your own future and your children’s futures.
Governments and global institutions are rolling out policies under the WEF’s Agenda 2030, which critics warn could lead to unprecedented control over ordinary citizens’ lives — from where you travel, to how you spend your money, to what you can buy.
This isn’t a distant possibility. Plans for digital IDs and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are already underway. Once implemented, they could eliminate personal privacy, freedom of choice, and even your ability to challenge injustices. Anyone who has ever tried to dispute a bank or government decision knows how hard it already is. Imagine having even less recourse in a system that is fully digital and centrally controlled.
The Playbook: How This Could Be Rolled Out
• Step 1: Use mainstream media to “gaslight” the public into believing compulsory ID cards are “no big deal” and just a way to improve security or “stop the boats.”
• Step 2: Label anyone who questions these measures as “far-right” or “extremist” to silence dissent.
• Step 3: Roll out digital IDs as “convenience tools” while simultaneously introducing CBDCs — making cash obsolete and putting every transaction under surveillance.
France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have all implemented national ID systems, yet these have failed to stop illegal migration or crime. Criminals do not care about ID cards. Law-abiding citizens do.
We already have National Insurance Numbers to identify workers, which addresses illegal working. Yet under this system, ordinary citizens would lose freedoms while those who break the law face little consequence.
Why This Matters Now
The EU plans to make CBDCs compulsory by the end of October — and the UK is expected to follow soon after. Once this is done, reversing the system will be virtually impossible. Critics warn it is a stepping stone to martial law, erosion of democracy, and the cancellation of meaningful elections.
This is not just about policy; it’s about control over legal citizens.
Act Now: Sign & Share
If you do only one thing today, sign this petition and share it widely:
📌 https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194
You can also join Together Declaration to stay informed and united:
📌 https://togetherdeclaration.org/join-business-member/
Why Some Say This Matters: The Fabian Society & WEF
Critics point out that over 600 MPs are allegedly linked to the Fabian Society, an organisation historically associated with gradual, state-led control. Early members like George Bernard Shaw and Sidney Webb promoted “gradualism” — incremental changes that, critics argue, erode freedoms without the public noticing.
Key criticisms of the Fabian Society include:
• Gradualism: Slow, covert policy shifts undermining democracy.
• Permeation: Infiltrating institutions and steering policy undemocratically.
• Technocracy: Expert-led rule that sidelines ordinary citizens.
• Eugenics (historic): Early support for policies later condemned as harmful and dehumanizing.
Similarly, the World Economic Forum’s Agenda 2030 has been accused of:
• Eroding national sovereignty through non-binding UN “Sustainable Development Goals.”
• Promoting elite-driven policies under the guise of sustainability.
• Driving urbanisation and surveillance via so-called “smart cities.”
• Increasing economic inequality by favouring global elites and stifling local economies.
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Bottom line: Critics warn that these programmes are not about making life easier — they’re about centralising power and control. This is the time to object, speak out, and protect your freedoms.
📌 Sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194
📌 Stay informed here: https://togetherdeclaration.org/join-business-member/
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