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> especially since when traveling to countries like Spain and Italy, every Airbnb / Hotel requires you to send a picture of your passport.

They're required to, it's part of the in-person hotel check-in process to require showing photo id, and registering all guests with the local police department.

If you're a foreigner, and rather use a service where in-person check-in is impractical, they'll naturally ask for a photo to meet their legal obligations.

> Why do we treat passport numbers as passwords instead of a login?

Because some stupid people thought that photos of passports have any security / validity (including banks, brokerage firms). Interestingly none of them would accept photos of cash as payment though.

> Interestingly none of them would accept photos of cash as payment though.

Banks had been hesitant to embrace cryptocurrencies, but they see the value of CBDCs and so are trying to push those. So they will accept something close to that as long as there a large legal market for crypto, which there is from their point of view and role in the market.

I once checked in at a pretty decent hotel in India and realised that they used re-used customers passport scans and invoices to print wifi coupons! I strongly complained but I don’t really know if they’ve changed.