In December the Kuwaiti government reminded their population that if they do not get fingerprinted by the end of 2024 they will be de-banked. It is now being reported that 7 percent of the country has failed to get fingerprinted and now risks being removed from the economy.

"Around 244,000 expatriates, 16,000 Kuwaitis and 90,000 Bidoons (those without official documents) have not shown up to undergo the fingerprinting procedure, according to official figures," Gulf News said December 31, 2024.

The initial deadline to be fingerprinted was extended multiple times. Those who failed to get fingerprinted by the end of September 2024 were blocked from digital banking in October, however authorities have denied any plans to fine or imprison people who fail to be fingerprinted.

Vietnam has recently followed a very similar path with their biometric digital ID rollout.

2025 has been said to be the 'year of digital ID' by industry experts, with most U.S. states being expected to roll out their own digital ID smartphone apps. The U.K. has rolled out its digital ID app, although like other first world countries it is not mandatory, yet.

Ethiopia is another county which is undergoing a digital biometric transformation. Between now and December 31, 2026 a requirement to have a digital ID (called Fayda) to conduct banking activities will go into effect.

"The move to make Fayda mandatory for banking operations was first announced last year, and it is a joint endeavour of the National Bank of Ethiopia (the country's central bank) and the National ID Program (NIDP)," Biometric Update said Monday.

Notably, Ethiopian identification documents require the individual to have their fingerprints, face and eyeballs scanned.

"For biometric data; fingerprint, iris, and face photograph are collected for absolute identification measures," the Ethiopian National ID website said.

Having already rolled out their biometric digital ID, Nigeria is seeking to scan even more body parts with a new initiative investigating the potential for the country to begin scanning eyeballs, in addition to the fingerprints and faces it already scans.