Bullet ID

Ammunition on city streets remains a key focus in global security discussions. While larger or ample calibers often receive regulatory attention, small arms ammunition is frequently overlooked, even though it drives most street-level violence and illicit trade. The public and international organizations such as the UN and NATO continue to call for greater accountability, yet clear pathways for implementing effective traceability remain limited.

Bullet ID, a Canada-based platform, is helping to bridge that gap. Its end-to-end traceability doesn’t just track where ammunition goes but documents how each round is manufactured and what materials are used to ensure data integrity across jurisdictions.

Marked with a unique identifier during high-speed laser engraving at the point of production and linked to a secure digital record, each round becomes individually traceable. The system captures the full lifecycle, from raw material inputs and batch-level manufacturing to packaging and deployment. Integrated directly into the production workflow, Bullet ID delivers this level of visibility at an industrial scale, without slowing throughput, whether 500,000 or several million rounds per day.

“If a cartridge is found in the field, on a base or in a civilian setting, it can be traced back to the exact case it shipped in and its distribution point,” says Cristian Talle, CEO. “This gives defense forces the ability to monitor inventories precisely, investigate diversion risks and improve accountability across the supply chain.”

This is especially timely as NATO-aligned countries seek to manage joint stockpiles more effectively and prevent expired or counterfeit rounds from entering circulation. Estimates suggest that 20 percent of global ammunition circulates outside formal systems, affecting public safety and regional stability. Bullet ID addresses this vulnerability with a system built on open, internationally recognized standards for secure interoperability. Without overhauling existing infrastructure, governments can link every round to metadata like shelf life, deployment history and location. The result is an ammunition ecosystem that’s secure and data-ready.

“We’re not here to regulate—we’re here to empower. BulletID helps manufacturers deliver smarter, safer, and more trusted munitions,” says John Tsihlis, commercial director. “We’re seeing a shift: defense and law enforcement authorities both want accountability for ammunition inventories, but without complexity. BulletID delivers exactly that!”

This approach is already moving into real-world deployment. Bullet ID is preparing for a national-level rollout in Latin America, where the government plans to apply the platform across imported stock and state-owned manufacturing lines. The implementation is a first-of-its-kind effort to achieve real-time accountability over the full flow of commercial and military ammunition, showing how digital traceability can be scaled nationally.
Bullet ID’s standards-based architecture allows each participant to control their own data while contributing to a shared visibility framework. Its modular design integrates with existing infrastructure, enabling cross-border collaboration and phased adoption without requiring a full system overhaul. This adaptability is critical in a space where global uptake faces well-known obstacles. Some manufacturers are reluctant to invest without formal policy mandates. Defense agencies must navigate legacy systems and fragmented protocols. Bullet ID provides practical value to all stakeholders. Defense ministries gain inventory-level visibility and control. Manufacturers can meet traceability requirements without disrupting production. Law enforcement benefits from greater insight into how ammunition moves across legal and illicit channels. Most importantly, public safety improves by limiting how easily ammunition is diverted or misused.

The system also brings value to regions with limited civilian ammunition controls. In places like North America, authorities can trace rounds back to a distributor or warehouse even without tracking individual buyers. That offers a vital tool in investigating large-scale diversion and trafficking, particularly to organized crime.

As more governments and international bodies coalesce around shared traceability standards, Bullet ID offers both the technology and a roadmap to implement it. A proven solution is finally within reach for a challenge that has remained unresolved for decades.