Polish government considers blockchain's impact on government services

Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs is considering using Bitcoin and blockchain technology to digitize government services.

The news was made public in a strategic document published in February. The Ministry for Digital Affairs was established in 2015 as a government agency with the mission of "driving Poland's development through digitalization."

Bitcoin and blockchain are listed as advanced technologies in the Internet of Things that can both accelerate development but also lead to unknown threats.

In the statement, the ministry acknowledged that while the public good of the country needs to take advantage of emerging opportunities, citizens should be protected from any dangers. There is no detailed description of how blockchain technology can help build public e-services.

Notably, the agency also briefly defines blockchain technology, describing it as a “ledger-style record of assets and transactions.”

The Dubai government has a similar assessment of blockchain technology and will explore the use of blockchain to improve government services.

The Polish Ministry of Finance issued its own statement at the end of 2015, indicating that the government has no current plans to regulate the industry.