This case study describes Singpass, Singapore’s national digital identity (NDI), and API Exchange (APEX), the government’s data sharing platform. It highlights not just how they work but also how they work together. Built by the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), both products have helped to improving the lives of Singaporeans and residents, and to enabling government agencies and businesses to offer better services. This has contributed greatly to Singapore becoming a leading digital government, economy, and society, which are the three pillars of its Smart Nation Initiative.
Impact / Outcome
97 percent of the eligible population (or 4.5 million citizens and residents) uses the Singpass application to access more than 2,000 public and private sector services online, ranging from financial services to healthcare, education, business services, and transportation. More than 350 million transactions are completed each year, and transactions that previously took days or hours to complete, often requiring physical visits, now take minutes and can be performed from anywhere with an internet connection. A document wallet has recently been added, enabling citizens and residents to store their identity cards, driving license, and COVID-19 vaccination documentation—and more documents will soon be added. This document wallet is accessed more than 300,000 times a month and is growing in popularity.
The time it takes to apply for services using Myinfo has decreased by up to 80 percent, with businesses also reporting significant cost savings and up to a 15 percent higher approval rating from their customers.
Funding sources
Public
Key Metrics
Development of a national digital identity (NDI), and API Exchange (APEX), government’s data sharing platform to improve citizens access to public and private services
Operating model
Fully publicYear published
12 January 2022 
World Bank Group