European digital identity wallet

What it means

The European digital identity wallet, or EUDI Wallet, is a mobile app that every EU member state must offer its citizens under the eIDAS 2 regulation. People store a verified electronic identity and other credentials in it, such as a driving licence, diploma, health data or authority to act for a company.

The wallet can be used to identify oneself online and in person, log into public and private services and sign documents with a qualified electronic signature throughout the EU. A key feature is selective disclosure: to prove age it is enough to confirm “over 18” without revealing the date of birth.

The wallet is meant to work for companies too. Legal entities will be able to have their own wallet or prove their representatives’ authority, and large platforms and regulated entities such as banks will have to accept the wallet as a means of verification. Member states must make it available by the end of 2026.

How it works in practice

For companies the wallet will simplify KYC and client onboarding. Instead of scanning documents and video calls, identity and data already verified by the state can be checked from the wallet. For remote services this shortens the process and reduces the risk of fraud with fake documents.

In Slovakia the wallet builds on the eID card, slovensko.sk and the state’s mobile solutions. Companies that already deal with authorities electronically should watch for when the wallet can be used to sign filings or prove a director’s authority without a card reader.

When designing their own client verification processes, we recommend companies plan for the wallet as one of the future channels. Those investing in identity verification solutions today should check whether their supplier plans to support it.

What to watch out for

The wallet does not mean any data from it can be used freely. As the relying party, a company needs a legal basis under the GDPR to request data and may ask only for what it really needs. Requesting a full set of data where an age check would do breaches the minimisation principle.

Until the wallet is widely used, companies will have to support existing verification methods too. Relying solely on the new channel would exclude some clients, especially older people or those without a suitable phone.