Digital sovereignty, cyber resilience and the introduction of a national electronic identity (eID) are the three key themes of Switzerland’s digitalization strategy in 2026, the government has announced.
Last Friday, the Federal Council adopted the updated Digital Switzerland Strategy for 2026, laying down the main priorities and goals that are binding for the Federal Administration.
The inclusion of eID into the plan signals that the Swiss government is ready to start serious work on digital identity after receiving a green light from voters during a September referendum. Authorities say that the project is vital in advancing Switzerland’s digital transformation agenda.
The state has earmarked a budget of over $200 million for the digital ID verification infrastructure. Earlier this year, the country started public testing of the eID, allowing citizens to use a beta version of the Swiyu digital wallet app.
The e-ID will be issued by the federal government and enable Swiss residents and Swiss nationals living abroad to identify themselves securely online. Its use will be voluntary.
The second key tasks in the 2026 Digital Switzerland Strategy will be implementing digital sovereignty and resilience against crisis. The task will be led by the State Secretariat for Security Policy (DDPS), the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), which will identify the security and foreign policy risks related to digital resources and draw up measures.
Finally, Switzerland’s third task is to become a “digital host state,” meaning it will strengthen cyber resilience, data center security and cloud infrastructure. The goal is to protect International Geneva, which hosts key international organizations such as the United Nations, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization (WHO) and CERN, as well as dozens of multinational companies.
The country first launched its Digital Switzerland Strategy in 2022 and has been updating it every year.
Article Topics
cybersecurity | digital ID | digital identity | digital wallets | e-ID | Switzerland | SWIYU | tech sovereignty