UN Overhauls Pension System with Blockchain Technology

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How is blockchain making the UN's pension system faster and safer?

What makes the revamped UN pension system global-ready thanks to blockchain?

Why is the UN's shift to blockchain for pensions considered revolutionary?

UN Overhauls Pension System with Blockchain Technology — Image source: Unblock Media

The UN revamped its pension system with blockchain for 70,000 beneficiaries.
The change reduces fraud, cuts costs, and modernizes operations globally.

On September 28, 2025, Cryptopolitan reported that the United Nations replaced its outdated, 70-year-old pension system with blockchain technology, benefitting over 70,000 retirees across 190 countries. This transition addresses inefficiencies, high costs, and fraud risks that plagued the paper-based identity verification process, which previously led to approximately 1,400 annual payment suspensions due to incomplete or incorrect records.

Earlier that month, on September 18, 2025, the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) and the UN International Computing Centre (UNICC) released a white paper titled "Transforming Public Digital Identity: A Blockchain Case in Action from the UN System." The document highlighted blockchain as an ideal technology for digital identity verification and detailed its implementation in the form of a Digital Certificate of Entitlement (DCE), designed specifically for pension beneficiaries.

The blockchain-based DCE has revolutionized the verification process by reducing processing times, minimizing errors, and mitigating fraud risks. Beneficiaries now confirm their entitlement status digitally through secure, transparent methods. This modernization initiative aligns with the UN’s broader objectives of leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency.

The United Nations is now exploring plans to expand this blockchain-powered digital identity system to other agencies within its network. There is also potential to offer this technology as a service to other international organizations, setting a precedent for secure and inclusive digital public infrastructure on a global scale. Sameer Chauhan, director of the UNICC, emphasized the collaborative approach taken in the project, describing it as a blueprint for designing scalable and inclusive digital ecosystems across UN entities.