Level One Project Guide (Gates Foundation) vs World Bank ID4D Practitioner's Guide

The Level One Project Guide is the Gates Foundation reference model for inclusive instant payment systems and pro-poor digital financial services. It sets out principles and a reference architecture for real-time retail payments that connect banks and non-bank providers through a shared national switch, and it informed the design of Mojaloop. The current guide edition was published in 2025.

The ID4D Practitioner's Guide is the World Bank's reference for designing and implementing inclusive, trusted digital identification systems, organised around the Principles on Identification for Sustainable Development. It covers system design, technology choices, procurement and governance, and is a core reference for identity as digital public infrastructure. The ID4D initiative focuses heavily on low- and middle-income countries, with much of its flagship work in Africa.