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Our grandparents traveled across borders using passports. Our children will do so with digital identities.

Multipolitan, a borderless living platform based in Singapore, has explored how new technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, the metaverse, and even space-based infrastructure are starting to reshape conventional concepts of citizenship, sovereignty, and governance.

This information was revealed during the launch of The Digital State Project on Tuesday, at a press conference with African journalists that included PREMIUM TIMES.

The initiative includes input from international technology and governance experts, such as James Ellsmoor from Island Innovation and William Wang, CEO ofRNS.IDand designer of Palau’s Digital Residency Program.

Other individuals include Metaverse entrepreneur Briar Prestidge; Ukraine’s deputy minister of digital transformation, Oleksandr Bornyakov; former chief information officer of Estonia, Luukas Ilves; space investor Anna Hazlett; and founder of SuperWorld, Hrish Lotlikar.

At the event’s launch, Nirbhay Handa, CEO and co-founder of Multipolitan, stated that the basis of national identity is evolving from traditional borders to digital platforms.

Our grandparents traveled across borders using passports. Our children will do so with digital identities,” said Mr. Handa, “We will soon access nations, not just enter them. For centuries, geography defined sovereignty. In the digital-first age, sovereignty will be determined by digital identity systems and the regulations that oversee them.

Global perspectives vs African viewers

Key moments from the events included world leaders discussing different areas where these technologies are reshaping the conversation.

Mr. Ellsmoor pointed out that climate-vulnerable island countries like Tuvalu are beginning to explore “digital sovereignty” in an effort to maintain their nationhood and cultural heritage should rising ocean levels remove their physical land.

Mr. Wang stated that Palau’s digital residency program enables foreigners to acquire a government-verified digital identity without needing to visit the Pacific island country, a system that the report suggests may become widespread in the next few decades.

Governance meets the metaverse

In addition to digital passports, the report examines ideas like “on-chain citizenship,” AI-driven public services, virtual embassies, and cities that are enriched through augmented reality.

Mr. Prestidge, an expert consultant for INTERPOL regarding investigations in the metaverse, contends that interactive digital spaces are evolving into instruments for national identity, social engagement, and financial transactions, making the distinction between real-world and online presence increasingly unclear.

Mr. Lotlikar’s work examines how urban areas can transform into “living interfaces,” where culture, business, and administration come together via blockchain and spatial computing technologies.

Ukraine’s digital transformation journey is also highlighted. Mr. Bornyakov explains how the country’s Diia platform has allowed millions of citizens to obtain government services via smartphones, even during the conflict.

Mr. Ilves, who once oversaw Estonia’s digital government initiatives, mentioned that Ukraine’s use of artificial intelligence within public administration might indicate the emergence of what he called “agentic states”—governments able to predict citizens’ requirements and streamline service provision.

Tools for governments and investors

The Metropolis report was created as a hands-on resource for decision-makers, tech entrepreneurs, and financiers exploring the evolving landscape of administration.

“It extracts practical insights from leaders who are currently developing digital public services, identity frameworks, and self-governing infrastructure,” the company stated.

Established in 2024, Multipolitan refers to itself as a service for “borderless living,” integrating immigration assistance with a mobility application that enables users to reside and work in various legal regions.

The firm was established by Mr. Handa, who once served as an executive at Henley & Partners, along with Lee Smith, who previously helped create the Japanese payment company Paidy, which was bought by PayPal for $2.7 billion.

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