By using the theory of discrete-time passive systems and the concept of feedback equivalence, we present an approach toward deriving sufficient conditions for the global stabilization of discrete-time nonlinear systems in the form x(k + 1) = f(x(k)) + g(x(k))u(k). The central feature of the approach is that, a unifying set of stability criteria can be obtained and the stability results recover the previous stabilization schemes proposed in the literature.