Sirje Soo
- Aug 8, 2019
- 2 min read

10 the most powerful e-Residents of Estonia

Updated: Aug 9, 2019

Estonia started with it’s residency programme in 2014. It gives the e-resident a smart card which they can use to sign documents. E-Residency gives foreigners the ability to apply for a secure digital residency in Estonia, even though they don't actually live there.

Now it has more than 47000 e-Residents.

What are the advantages?

E-residency allows company registration, document signing, encrypted-document exchange, online banking, tax declaration, and fulfilment of medical prescriptions. Other services become available as the scheme is expanded.

So who are the well-known e-Residents of Estonia?

1. Bill Gates

Microsoft founder got his Estonian personal identification code and e-resident status on October 18, 2018.

2. Edward Lucas

He is the first person in the world who became e-Resident in 2014. British journalist told that Estonian e-residency has never been more useful cause of the Brexit. He has the chance to do business in the EU. He is choosing Estonia over Ireland cause tax system in Estonia is very transparent.

Corporate tax is 0% in Estonia. All the money you hold in your company business accounts for 0%. All money you reinvest into company 0%.

The biggest benefit for Brits is that e-residency program allows business to maximize the benefits to the European Union Single Market’s harmonized rules.

3. Shinzō Abe

“Japan is also planning to introduce ID-cards and Estonian specialists have participated in its development process, hence the idea to present their prime minister with a digital Estonian ID-card.

“We came to this idea because Japan is moving in IT development in a similar direction as Estonia, so we thought that it would be nice to give him something for comparison,” said Taavi Kotka

4. Tim Draper

One of the world’s most successful venture capitalists and founder of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. He’s also investor in the digital currency, Bitcoin.

5. Mukesh Ambani

Mukesh is the richest man in Asia. He is the owner of the world's largest oil refining complex.

He became e-Resident to digitalize India in terms of accessing digital identity.

6. Angela Merkel

It was a gift from Estonia to strengthen relations between Estonia and Germany.

“Pooling Estonia’s and Germany’s strengths provides a great opportunity for a Europe facing new challenges.

Estonia’s expertise in information technology and Germany’s industrial might must be turned into an engine that gives a new impetus to Europe’s economies. I know that Estonian IT companies and professionals are ready for such cooperation,” said Taavi Rõivas

7. Ravi Shankar Prasad

He’s an Indian lawyer and also current Union Minister in the Government of India.

Minister is also called one of the top twenty influential world leaders in digital technology and e-government.

8. Peter Kentie

Peter told Estonian World that Estonia offers a state of mind, a philosophy that any country, region or city can follow. Also that e-Estonia truly inspires the world. He added that it’s a unique way of thinking and acting in this modern digital age, being the ’est’.