What is the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet and when will it be released?

EUDI Wallet: the European digital identity available from 2026

Discover everything about the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet, the new European digital identity that will allow citizens and businesses to access public and private services across the European Union with a single, secure digital wallet. The regulation entered into force in 2024, and national wallets will be available by December 2026.

The European Commission has approved a new set of implementing acts (May 2025) setting out the technical specifications and interoperability requirements for EUDI Wallets.
All Member States will have to make at least one wallet available by December 2026, while the acceptance obligation for companies and public administrations will kick in by December 2027.
In Italy, the IT Wallet is currently under development and will be fully interoperable with the European model.

What is the EUDI Wallet

The EUDI Wallet is the new European digital wallet that allows EU citizens, residents, and businesses to securely manage and share their digital identity and personal documents.
It represents an evolution compared to tools like SPID or CIE, as it brings together several ‘verifiable attributes’ into a single application — such as:

• passport, driving license, and civil status certificates;
• login credentials for public services;
• data for banking onboarding or digital age verification;
• qualified electronic signatures and identities.

Each user will be able to decide which information to share and with whom, thanks to a system based on the principles of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), ensuring privacy and total control over their data.

The regulatory framework: from the eIDAS 2.0 Regulation to Regulation (EU) 2024/1183

The new European digital identity framework was established by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, approved by the European Parliament in February 2024 and in force since May 20, 2024.
This regulation updates the previous eIDAS framework (EU 910/2014), introducing the concept of a certified digital wallet valid across the entire Union.

Starting in 2024, the European Commission issued several series of Implementing Acts:

• December 2024 → first technical specifications for interoperability and security;

• May 2025 → requirements for certification, reference architecture, and wallet governance;

• further updates expected by 2026, ahead of the release of national wallets.

Why the EUDI Wallet is important

The EUDI Wallet is a cornerstone of the Digital Decade 2030 program, aimed at:

• digitizing 100% of EU public services by the end of the decade;
• ensuring an interoperable and secure digital single market;
• improving the protection of European citizens’ personal data;
• reducing fragmentation among national digital identity systems.

Furthermore, the decentralized management model based on “verifiable attributes” allows for greater privacy and direct control over the use of one’s information, as the “wallet” model closely resembles that of Self-Sovereign Identity, a type of digital identity based on Blockchain.

When the EUDI Wallet will be available

The European roadmap includes the following main milestones:

In the meantime, the European Large Scale Pilots are active, testing concrete use cases such as:

• cross-border access to public services;

• opening digital bank accounts;

• qualified electronic signature and business onboarding.

Among the consortia involved, POTENTIAL stands out, with Intesa as a partner, engaged in developing digital infrastructure and defining European best practices.

The countries involved and the state of progress

Almost all Member States have launched their national projects:

• Italy: IT Wallet is under development, which will integrate SPID and CIE, managed by the Department for Digital Transformation;

• France and Germany: pilots launched for access to public services and digital healthcare;

• Spain and the Netherlands: in the testing phase for secure identification in the university and financial sectors;

• Bulgaria, Croatia, Malta, and Romania: still in the planning phase, with adaptation programs scheduled for 2026.

What businesses and Public Administrations must do now

1. Prepare for interoperability
   Update authentication systems to integrate future European wallet APIs.

2. Monitor European regulations
   Follow the new Implementing Acts and the official technical specifications of the Commission.

3. Ensure eIDAS 2.0 compliance
   Adapt internal procedures for data management, electronic signature, and authentication.

4. Experiment with concrete use cases
   Test pilot applications: access to public portals, customer onboarding, digital identity management for B2B services.

5. Promote digital culture
   Raise awareness among citizens and employees about the benefits of the European wallet and the conscious use of digital identity.

Outlook for 2026 – 2027

With the official release planned for December 2026, the EUDI Wallet project will mark the start of a new era for European digital citizenship.
2027 will be the key year for full adoption by businesses and public administrations, transitioning from a multiplicity of national systems to a single, interoperable, and sovereign model.

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