Verify Pension Entitlement Using Digital Proof of Life
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Insurance · Organisation: United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, United Nations International Computing Centre · Maturity level: Production
The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund and the United Nations International Computing Centre deployed a blockchain-based solution to verify pension entitlements globally. Beneficiaries across more than 190 countries use the Digital Certificate of Entitlement application to confirm their identity and proof of life via biometrics. In 2025, over 44,000 retirees utilized this live service, significantly lowering administrative overhead and replacing postal paper verification.
Documentation status
- Project status: Production (as of 01 January 2021) — The system has been in global production operation since 2021 and reached over 44,000 users by 2025.
- Evidence: Evidence medium
- Editorial review: pending
Description
The United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, in collaboration with the United Nations International Computing Centre, has introduced a digital system for proof of life. Traditionally, retirees had to sign a paper form every year and often have it certified by local authorities. The new procedure uses a mobile application and blockchain technology to provide proof quickly and tamper-proof directly from the smartphone. This allows identity checks worldwide to be completed within minutes without postal delays.
The Digital Certificate of Entitlement replaces the previous paper-based proof of life and residence with a decentralized identity architecture. Technologically, the system is based on Hyperledger Indy and Hyperledger Aries, supplemented by biometric facial recognition, liveness checks, and geolocation verification. Pensioners authenticate once via the mobile app and then create cryptographically secured proofs, which are transmitted to the pension scheme. The blockchain acts as a trust anchor for the validity of the proofs without publicly revealing personal or biometric data. By 2025, more than 44,000 eligible users in over 190 countries were already using this solution, representing nearly 60 percent of the suitable population. This led to measurable administrative savings and a significant reduction in fraud risk.
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Insurance providers and pension funds can reduce payment risks by automatically and auditably validating the existence of beneficiaries. The solution minimises administrative expenses and significantly accelerates verification processes across national borders.
B2C — consumers perspective
Pensioners can independently provide their annual proof via smartphone, without needing to send mail or attend appointments at official offices. This ensures uninterrupted payment of pension benefits even during travel or residence abroad.
Employees perspective
Caseworkers in pension schemes are relieved from manually recording and verifying the authenticity of international paper documents. Digital verification processes create more time for personal support of insured persons with special needs.
Benefits
General
- Real-time verification of proof of life worldwide
- Minimisation of overpayments and abuse
- Complete elimination of international postal transit times
B2B — organisations
- Drastic reduction of manual verification and archiving efforts
- Legally compliant and tamper-resistant documentation of claims
B2C — consumers
- No need for physical certification on site
- Rapid proof within minutes via smartphone
Employees
- Relief from error-prone document verification
- Automatic data matching with the core administration system
Challenges
General
- Ensuring user-friendliness for older target groups
- Dependence on modern smartphone hardware for biometric functions
B2B — organisations
- Integration into existing core administration systems of pension funds
- Ensuring compliance with various international data protection laws
B2C — consumers
- Challenges due to lack of digital affinity or poor internet connectivity
Employees
- Training needs to address exceptional cases and identification errors
Technology foundation
The solution uses decentralized identity standards based on Hyperledger Indy and Aries combined with biometric facial recognition and geolocation checks. This enables cryptographically verifiable issuance and verification of digital proofs without centrally storing sensitive biometric raw data on a blockchain.
Implementation examples
Digital Certificate of Entitlement for UN retirees
The previous practice required the worldwide shipping of physical certificates, which involved high postage costs, risks of loss in the mail, and potential pension fraud due to delayed death notifications.
The UNJSPF, together with UNICC, introduced a blockchain-based application to digitise proof of life for pensioners worldwide. The solution replaces annual paper certificates with decentralized identity proofs featuring biometric verification.
Together with the United Nations International Computing Centre, the UNJSPF developed the Digital Certificate of Entitlement based on Hyperledger Indy and Aries. The application enables pensioners in more than 190 countries to securely submit their annual proof of life and residence via smartphone. The app combines liveness detection, facial biometrics, and geolocation to reliably prevent identity fraud. In 2025, over 44,000 eligible users utilised the platform, covering nearly 60 per cent of the target population.
Over 44,000 users in 2025 (almost 60 per cent of the eligible population) and documented measurable administrative savings since the production launch in 2021.
Reduction of postal effort, prevention of overpayments, and overcoming logistical hurdles for beneficiaries in regions with unreliable postal infrastructure.
Tags
Digital identity, Proof of Life, Hyperledger, Pension administration, Self-Sovereign Identity