Explanation of terms

The EUDI wallet (European Digital Identity Wallet) is the EU's new digital wallet. It is intended to enable all EU citizens to identify themselves online with documents such as ID cards, age confirmation, educational qualifications or professional licenses. The wallet is based on standardized, verifiable proofs and is designed to be data-efficient. Companies must accept the wallet in certain processes from 2026 at the latest (e.g. opening an account, applying for a job, concluding a contract).

It is a core component of the revised eIDAS Regulation (eIDAS 2.0), which came into force in 2024.

The goal: an EU-wide uniform, trustworthy standard for digital identities.

How does the EUDI Wallet work?

Technically, the wallet is based on verifiable credentials, i.e. digitally signed, verifiable proofs and the principle of self-sovereign identity (SSI). Users retain control over their data at all times and decide for themselves what information they share and with whom.

 

Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are structured, forgery-proof proofs that can be issued and verified digitally.

 

Important features:

Trustworthy: Digital proofs are issued by official bodies or certified institutions.

Data sparing: Only necessary information is shared (e.g. "over 18" instead of full date of birth).

Interoperable: can be used throughout the EU, even across national borders

 

Practical example:

An applicant wants to apply to a company. Instead of sending PDF certificates by email, she shares a validated digital certificate of completion signed by the university via the wallet. The company can check the certificate directly without any media disruption or manual checks.

 

For Identity & Access Management (IAM) this means:

      • Interfaces: Can the IAM system integrate wallets and verifiable credentials?
      • Processes: How do I integrate proofs or age checks into my workflows?
      • Compliance: How do I document consent and data use in compliance with the law?
      • Architecture: Is my IAM prepared for new trust frameworks and standards?

     

Advantages of the EUDI Wallet

Increased data sovereignty for users

Faster, trustworthy identity checks

Fewer media disruptions and manual inspection processes

Future-proofing digital identity management

 

Typical application scenarios

  • Digital applications & HR processes
  • Customer portals with access control
  • Financial services & age verification
  • Government services & citizen access

Conclusion:

In the coming years, the EUDI Wallet will also become an integral part of many digital processes outside of public authorities. Anyone planning or modernizing IAM structures today should consider wallet functionalities at an early stage. After all, the better prepared a system is, the easier it will be to integrate later on.

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