The most important facts in brief
- No centralization: Contrary to widespread misconceptions, there will be no central European EUDI wallet and no central EU database; each member state will develop its own interoperable solution.
- Voluntariness for citizens: The use of the wallet is completely voluntary for private individuals, while states are obliged to provide it and regulated companies are obliged to accept it.
- Much more than eGovernment: The EUDI wallet is explicitly designed for private commercial transactions (banks, platforms, contracts), not just for official channels.
- True data sovereignty: Thanks to the principle of self-sovereign identity (SSI), users retain full, decentralized control over their identity data.
- Immediate need for action: Companies need to prepare now as the eIDAS 2.0 timetable is underway and technical integration is becoming business critical.
The dangerous half-knowledge in the eIDAS 2.0 jungle
European digitalization is about to take its biggest evolutionary leap: the nationwide introduction of the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) as part of the revised eIDAS 2.0 regulation. But the closer the final deadlines get, the thicker the fog of misunderstandings, misinterpretations and plain misinformation becomes.
This half-knowledge is extremely dangerous for decision-makers in European companies. Anyone who dismisses the EUDI wallet as a mere “government tool” or adopts a wait-and-see attitude due to unfounded data protection fears risks losing touch in B2B and B2C onboarding and suffering competitive disadvantages.
As a European pioneer for legally compliant digital processes, we at sproof experience the myths that block strategic progress on a daily basis. Time to dispel the five most persistent misconceptions and shed light on the strategic reality.
Myth 1: “The EU is creating a giant central database and a single wallet”
This is probably the most widespread spectre. Many suspect that eIDAS 2.0 is a centralized IT project from Brussels that bundles all citizen data in one place.
The exact opposite is the case: the architecture is based on the principle of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and is strictly decentralized. There will be no universal EU central database. Each EU member state will develop and certify its own national wallet (in Austria, for example, as a further development in the ID Austria environment, in Germany based on the eID infrastructure).
Strategic focus: These national wallets are fully technologically interoperable via the Architecture and Reference Framework (ARF). Data is primarily stored locally in a highly secure area(secure element) on the user’s end device, not on EU servers.
Myth 2: “The EUDI wallet is only for dealing with the authorities”
eIDAS 1.0 was indeed primarily focused on the official context, which led to a low level of acceptance in the private sector. This is changing fundamentally with eIDAS 2.0.
The EUDI wallet is explicitly designed as a universal key for private commercial transactions. It is intended to form the foundation for seamless digital workflows throughout the European market. The regulation obliges a large number of private sectors to accept the wallet, including
- Financial service providers and banks (e.g. for legally compliant KYC onboarding)
- Energy suppliers and telecommunications providers
- Large online platforms (gatekeepers pursuant to the Digital Markets Act)
- Transportation and logistics company
In future, when customers want to open a bank account, sign an employment contract or lease a car, the EUDI wallet will be the primary, seamless, digital and most secure identification channel.
Myth 3: “The use of the EUDI Wallet is mandatory for all citizens”
For private individuals, the creation and use of an EUDI wallet is 100% voluntary. No one is forced to carry their identity digitally on their smartphone; analog ID documents remain valid without restriction.
The “duty” lies on a completely different side:
- Member states are legally obliged to provide their citizens with such a qualified wallet free of charge.
- Companies in regulated industries (so-called relying parties) are obliged to technically enable and accept identification via these wallets.
For your company, this means that although you cannot force your customers to interact with the wallet, you must be able to receive wallet users in a compliant and barrier-free manner in order to minimize churn rates during onboarding.
Myth 4: “With the EUDI wallet, everyone can see all my personal data immediately”
The opposite is true – the EUDI wallet offers a massive data protection advantage over physical documents. If you need to prove your age in analog life today, you show your ID card. The other person will not only see your age, but also your full name, date of birth and home address.
The EUDI wallet uses state-of-the-art cryptographic processes such as selective disclosure (e.g. via SD-JWT) and Electronic Attestations of Attributes (EAAs).
Practical example: If a person has to prove to you that they are of legal age, the EUDI wallet only transmits the cryptographically verified attribute age_over_18: true. Your system receives the legally compliant confirmation without ever knowing the person’s exact date of birth or name. This guarantees radical compliance with the GDPR principle of data minimization.
Myth 5: “It will be years before the wallet is ready for widespread use – we can wait and see”
This is the most strategically dangerous of all EUDI wallet myths. Although maximum user adoption is taking place gradually in all 27 EU member states, those who wait with the technological adaptation will miss the critical integration phase.
The eIDAS 2.0 timetable is underway and future-proof platforms are already offering the necessary bridging solutions. At sproof, as part of our strategic direction, we have developed the sproof eID Hub and the integrated Unified EUDI Wallet Connector developed.
Using a single REST API, we seamlessly bundle the upcoming EUDI wallets with already established, eIDAS-compliant identification procedures (such as national eIDs, Video-Ident or Auto-Ident).
Ready for the next generation of identity management?
Make your customer onboarding EUDI-ready. Benefit from maximum security and maximum conversion thanks to seamless, Europe-wide identity verification.
FAQs on the topic
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+–Kann mein Unternehmen selbst digitale Nachweise (Attributes) für die EUDI-Wallet ausstellen?Ja. Unternehmen oder Institutionen können als sogenannte Issuer auftreten. So können beispielsweise Universitäten digitale Diplome, Arbeitgeber digitale Betriebsausweise oder Zertifizierungsstellen… show more
Ja. Unternehmen oder Institutionen können als sogenannte Issuer auftreten. So können beispielsweise Universitäten digitale Diplome, Arbeitgeber digitale Betriebsausweise oder Zertifizierungsstellen offizielle Nachweise direkt in die Wallet der Nutzer:innen ausgeben.
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+–Was ist der Unterschied zwischen der Identifikation für die EUDI-Wallet und der Autorisierung im Alltag?Die Identifikation ist der einmalige, hochsichere Prozess (z. B. via sproof Ident), um die digitale Identität initial zu erstellen. Die… show more
Die Identifikation ist der einmalige, hochsichere Prozess (z. B. via sproof Ident), um die digitale Identität initial zu erstellen. Die Autorisierung (oder Authentifizierung) ist die tägliche Freigabe einer Aktion mittels eines schnellen zweiten Faktors, wie Push-Benachrichtigung oder Passkey.
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+–Wie schützt sproof mein Unternehmen vor Cloud-Act-Risiken von US-Wettbewerbern im Kontext von Identitätsdaten?Da sproof zu 100% in Europa entwickelt und auf ISO-27001-zertifizierten Servern innerhalb der EU gehostet wird, gibt es keinerlei US-Bezug…. show more
Da sproof zu 100% in Europa entwickelt und auf ISO-27001-zertifizierten Servern innerhalb der EU gehostet wird, gibt es keinerlei US-Bezug. Alle Subunternehmer unterliegen ausschließlich europäischem Recht. Dies schützt sensible Ident- und Vertragsdaten im Gegensatz zu US-amerikanischen Plattformen effektiv vor den unkontrollierten Zugriffen von Drittstaaten, die durch Gesetze wie den US CLOUD Act begründet sind.
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+–How secure is the EUDI wallet?The EUDI wallet was developed to meet high standards of security, data protection and trustworthiness. The technical specifications follow the… show more
The EUDI wallet was developed to meet high standards of security, data protection and trustworthiness. The technical specifications follow the principles of “security by design” and “privacy by design”, so that security and data protection aspects are already taken into account during development. The EUDI wallet uses certified security mechanisms and protected areas of modern smartphones to protect sensitive data and cryptographic keys. Users retain control over their identity data and decide for themselves what information is shared with authorities, companies or other organizations. In addition, the EUDI wallet supports data-saving procedures in which only the information that is actually required is disclosed. The aim is to make digital identities safe to use while protecting the privacy of users in the best possible way.
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+–Is sproof Ident already EUDI-ready?Yes. sproof Ident is already prepared for the integration of the upcoming EUDI wallet and supports companies in making existing… show more
Yes. sproof Ident is already prepared for the integration of the upcoming EUDI wallet and supports companies in making existing identification processes future-proof. The platform combines current identification processes with the requirements of the European EUDI ecosystem. This means that companies can already use national eID solutions such as the ID Austria or the online ID function of the German ID card and at the same time prepare for the introduction of the EUDI wallet.
A key advantage of sproof Ident is that different identity sources and identification procedures can be integrated via a central platform. This facilitates the gradual transition to the EUDI wallet without having to rebuild existing processes.
With the sproof Ident Demo Portal, companies can try out real EUDI wallet and identification processes in a secure test environment today and gain practical experience with future use cases. Further information can be found at sproof Ident Demo Portal
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+–Can all granted authorizations be managed in the EUDI Wallet?Yes, the EUDI Wallet is designed to provide users with a transparent overview of their authorizations and data sharing. The… show more
Yes, the EUDI Wallet is designed to provide users with a transparent overview of their authorizations and data sharing. The aim is to ensure that control over their own identity data is traceable and simple at all times. To this end, every EUDI wallet must provide functions with which active connections to authorities, companies or other services can be viewed. Users can track which organizations have been granted access to which data and for what purpose it has been released. It should also be possible to manage authorizations and connections directly in the EUDI wallet. If data sharing is no longer desired, access can be revoked or existing connections can be terminated. In this way, the EUDI wallet supports a central principle of digital identity: users retain control over their data and decide for themselves when and with whom information is shared.
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+–When is the EUDI wallet coming?The EUDI wallet is being introduced gradually in the member states of the European Union. The legal basis was created… show more
The EUDI wallet is being introduced gradually in the member states of the European Union. The legal basis was created with eIDAS 2.0, while the technical specifications and national implementations are currently being further developed.
It is currently expected that the first EUDI wallet solutions will be available from the end of 2026. However, the widespread introduction and use in all EU member states will take place gradually and will depend on the respective national implementation plans.
Companies and public authorities should already be looking at the requirements and use cases of the EUDI wallet today in order to prepare for the upcoming changes in the area of digital identities at an early stage.
With sproof Ident, a white label solution for digital identification and trust processes is already available today. We are happy to support companies in analyzing existing processes, evaluating EUDI wallet potential and developing a future-proof EUDI strategy.
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+–What are the advantages of the EUDI wallet in Germany?The EUDI Wallet offers users in Germany a secure way to manage digital identity data and proofs of identity on… show more
The EUDI Wallet offers users in Germany a secure way to manage digital identity data and proofs of identity on their smartphone and to pass them on as required. It is designed to simplify the handling of digital identities and at the same time strengthen control over personal data. One of the advantages of the EUDI Wallet is the ability to use digital proofs of identity in a data-saving manner. In future, for example, certain information – such as age or authorization – can be verified without disclosing further personal data. Another advantage of the EUDI wallet is its Europe-wide orientation. Digital identities and proof of identity should not only be able to be used in Germany, but also across borders within the European Union. In this way, the EUDI wallet supports an interoperable digital identity for citizens, companies and public institutions in Europe. In addition, the EUDI Wallet is intended to bundle various digital proofs of identity in a single application and enable the secure, user-friendly use of digital services.
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+–What are the advantages of the EUDI wallet in Austria?The EUDI Wallet offers Austrian users a secure and user-friendly way to manage digital identity data and proof of identity… show more
The EUDI Wallet offers Austrian users a secure and user-friendly way to manage digital identity data and proof of identity on their smartphone. It makes it possible to share information with authorities, companies or other organizations in a targeted and data-saving manner. The advantages of the EUDI Wallet include the digital use of ID cards and proofs, greater control over personal data and the ability to prove certain attributes – such as age – without disclosing any other personal information. A particular advantage of the EUDI Wallet is its Europe-wide orientation. In future, it should be possible to use digital evidence not only in Austria, but also across borders in other EU member states. In this way, the EUDI Wallet supports a uniform digital identity within Europe.
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+–How can different identity components be combined?With the EUDI Wallet, various digital proofs and identity data can be combined and shared in a single process. Users… show more
With the EUDI Wallet, various digital proofs and identity data can be combined and shared in a single process. Users decide for themselves which information they want to share for a specific use case. When opening an account, for example, the digital identity (PID), proof of address and proof of income can be transmitted at the same time. This so-called multi-credential presentation enables secure and efficient data transfer without the need to manually upload or check individual documents. For companies, this means faster and seamless processes, for example in KYC or onboarding procedures, while users benefit from simple and data protection-friendly processing.
