What is eIDAS 2.0 — and why it matters

eIDAS 2.0 is the EU’s updated framework for trusted digital identity and signatures. It introduces the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet so people and businesses can identify themselves, share verified information, and sign or seal documents with legal effect across borders.

The law is in force and extends trust beyond government to everyday online services, creating one predictable way to reduce friction and fraud EU-wide.

How the EUDI Wallet improves your customer and staff journeys

With a wallet, users share only what’s needed (for example, “over 18” or “address verified”) instead of uploading documents with all their personal details.

Very Large Online Platforms must accept the wallet when they require login, and regulated private services that already need strong user authentication will also accept it upon a user’s request, removing repetitive forms and manual checks from common flows.

Consumers get qualified electronic signatures built in, free of charge for non-professional use, and Member States must provide wallets free of charge to natural persons. That turns “please print, sign, scan” into a one-tap, cross-border approval step.

Business benefits you can feel quickly

Faster onboarding and checkout. Less abandonment. Lower KYC/AML overhead by relying on verified attributes and qualified trust services rather than manual reviews. And because eIDAS 2.0 is backed by a cybersecurity certification scheme for wallets, CISOs and auditors gain a common baseline for acceptance and vendor due diligence.

The net effect for your organisation: fewer manual checks and simpler compliance, resulting in less fraud, faster processing, and lower costs.

Mandatory acceptance will drive adoption

Public services that require Private Identity Data must accept the wallet by the end of 2026. Private organizations in regulated sectors like banking, energy, transport, healthcare, education, telecom and others will accept the wallet upon a user’s request when strong authentication is already required: no later than 36 months from the relevant Implementing Acts.

Very Large Online Platforms (like Amazon, AliExpress, Booking.com, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn) that require user authentication under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), must also accept the wallet, must also accept wallet when they require users to log in.

Privacy-first: getting more control over your own data

Using an EU Digital Identity Wallet is a choice: the regulation makes it a right, not an obligation. You can start or stop using a wallet at any time.

Your information stays with you, until you choose to share it. And each share needs your explicit consents. Relying parties receive a secure confirmation, not a file to stockpile, which lowers exposure and the risk of misuse. You get faster approvals and fewer forms, while keeping real control over how and when your data is shared.

Member States must also provide at least one wallet (free of charge) to natural persons.