Mastercard marked the first tests of a new digital service that has the potential to verify a person’s identity immediately, safely and securely in both the digital and the physical world. The initial in-market pilot will take place in Australia through two separate efforts with Australia Post and Deakin University. The pilot program will test a new way for people to prove their identity without having to carry multiple documents. Instead, the model allows the data to sit with its rightful owner - the user. It will activate a distributed model that blends information stored on an individual’s mobile device and verified by additional reference points, such as an individual’s bank or participating government agencies . It eliminates the need for a centralized identity database. The initial phase of the pilot with Deakin University featured student volunteers testing an identity verification process for student registration and digital exams at the Burwood and Geelong campuses in Victoria.