EUDI Wallets
explained
EU Digital Identity Wallets: Empowering you to securely manage and share your information!
The EU Digital Identity Wallets (EUDIW), part of the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, are digital apps designed to enhance and simplify the way EU citizens, residents, and businesses manage and share their identity and personal data with others.
These wallets will be operable on mobile devices and other digital platforms, allowing users to store, manage, and selectively share their identity credentials securely.
What Are EU Digital Identity Wallets?
EU Digital Identity Wallets serve as a digital means to store official personal information like your name, date of birth, nationality, and other information like qualifications, functions, achievements, financials, issued by trusted parties.
Benefits of EU Digital Identity Wallets
EU Digital Identity Wallets not only minimizes the risk of personal data exposure but also gives users complete control over what information is shared and with whom. The architecture of EUDIW is designed to ensure that users can track and manage these permissions effectively, thereby upholding their privacy and data security.
One of the key benefits of these digital wallets is the enhancement of user privacy through a feature known as “SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE.” This feature allows individuals to share only the necessary information with service providers or other entities without exposing additional personal details.
For example, when proving your age, you can share just the confirmation of your age rather than revealing your full birthdate or other unrelated personal information.
By digitizing and centralizing identity verification processes, EU Digital Identity Wallets reduce the need for physical documents and repetitive verification processes. This simplification extends to various everyday activities such as opening bank accounts, applying for loans, or accessing educational services across the EU. The wallet’s ability to integrate functionalities like electronic signatures further streamlines legal and administrative procedures.
By May 2026, all EU member states are mandated to provide a EU Digital Identity Wallet free of charge to every resident who wants one.
Typical User Flow
The EU Digital Identity Wallets facilitate both online and offline identifications and transactions across the European Union, ensuring that users can access various public and private services seamlessly.
Receiving Credentials
EU citizens will receive their digital identity credentials from trusted organizations (so-called QEAAs) selected and certified by their respective member states, which are responsible for issuing and managing these digital identities in accordance with EU-wide standards and regulations.
These credentials are then stored securely in the individual’s digital wallet.
Other public and private organizations can also issue credentials. For example your employer can issue YOU (and only you!) a proof that you work at their company and what your salary is. Or your bank that you have an account with them and the account number.
Remember: YOU control that information and YOU decide with whom you share what.
Sharing Credentials
When a user needs to prove their identity or certain attributes, they can do so by REQUESTING the relevant document or information they want from you. They must tell you what they want and for what purpose.
The wallet software will select the information from your wallet and ONLY AFTER YOUR CONSENT securely sharing it with the requesting party. This process is safeguarded by robust authentication mechanisms, including potentially biometric verifications, to ensure security and user authenticity.
As these wallets are adopted across the EU, they promise to bring about greater operational efficiency and enhanced privacy protection, ultimately reshaping the digital landscape of the region.