Dutch government blocks US firm Kyndryl from acquiring DigiD supplier Solvinity

The Netherlands has halted a planned acquisition of Solvinity, the Dutch company that operates the platform behind DigiD, the national digital identity app used by citizens to authenticate themselves for healthcare appointments, property transactions, and government services. U.S.-based Kyndryl announced the deal in November, but Dutch authorities intervened to prevent critical identity infrastructure from passing into foreign ownership.

The block reflects a broader European unease about strategic dependence on American technology providers for essential public services. Digital identity systems are increasingly viewed as sovereign infrastructure, on par with energy or telecommunications, and governments are scrutinizing ownership changes that could place authentication systems for millions of citizens under another jurisdiction’s legal reach.