Europe’s digital service landscape is undergoing significant change. The digital identity wallet is becoming a decisive factor in how people and organisations can prove their information and access services securely and smoothly.
The digital identity wallet is not a minor technical update but a transformation that will affect Europe’s entire digital economy. For organisations that provide credentials, documents or digital services, the wallet offers a major opportunity to improve operations and create entirely new services.
Why we should focus on the identity wallet right now
Users’ expectations for digital services are growing. People want to handle their affairs easily, quickly and reliably. The identity wallet makes this possible by giving users a secure way to share needed information from a single place.
Service providers can trust that the information is accurate and up to date. The wallet reduces errors, makes services more seamless and enables significant cost savings.
In Germany, it has been estimated that an annual investment of 200 to 300 million euros in a digital wallet solution for managing subcontractor networks could generate annual savings of 85 billion euros.
A shared EU solution opens new opportunities
The European digital identity wallet (EUDI wallet) is a tool for EU citizens, residents and legal entities that enables electronic identification and reliable proof of personal data across the EU.
EU member states are required to provide the wallet in December 2026, and from that point public sector organisations must also accept it as a means of identification. The EUDI wallet aims to remove national barriers and harmonise the ways in which credentials and information are shared. As a result, services can be designed and built to be interoperable across Europe.
When verified information can be shared through the wallet in all member states, entirely new service models become possible.
“For example, job seeking, entrepreneurship, the handling of permit documents or the sharing of educational certificates can be carried out far more smoothly than before,” states Harri Mansikkamäki, who leads Gofore’s international business.
When a user needs a particular credential, it is always available in the same place and can be easily shared as required. This convenience creates a foundation for innovations that were previously impossible due to incompatible systems and processes.
New innovations built around the wallet
The wallet enables the creation of new services and ecosystems that use verified data in ways that have previously been difficult or impossible. A service can, for instance, check a user’s eligibility, age or qualification without requiring them to submit separate documents.
Ecosystems can be based on granting discounts for students or pensioners, or on reliably demonstrating competence in situations where an employer or authority requires proof of education, certification or a licence.
“A user can share a degree certificate with an employer, a regulated document with an authority or required registration data with a company directly from their wallet. This reduces manual work, speeds up decision making and lowers the risk of misuse,” Mansikkamäki explains.
When services operate under the same principles across Europe, innovations also scale more quickly. With a single technical integration, a service can be launched in multiple countries, creating a far larger market. This is especially important for organisations for which international expansion has previously been challenged by differing national requirements.
Competitive advantage through active preparation
Service providers that prepare for the introduction of the identity wallet early gain a practical advantage that will be difficult to catch up later. When integrations are planned and service paths are designed in advance, the deployment of the wallet becomes faster and users can be offered a better experience from the very beginning.
Early preparation also reduces future costs. When processes and technical solutions are designed with the wallet in mind, systems do not need to be hurriedly modified or reworked later. At the same time, the organisation positions itself as a contributor to Europe’s digital trust network rather than merely following the developments led by others.
Make the most of the opportunities brought by the identity wallet
The ecosystem around identity wallets is expanding rapidly and the first to benefit are the organisations that prepare early. If preparation is delayed, the risk is twofold. The gap will widen if competitors begin developing innovations and offering more user friendly solutions. At the same time, late adoption increases costs because changes must be made under time pressure alongside other development work.
The digital identity wallet is a central part of Europe’s digital economy. It brings ease and security for users and offers service providers the chance to build more efficient and seamless services. At the same time, it opens the door to entirely new innovations and expands the market to a Europe wide scale.
“Organisations that act on the opportunity now will build a strong position in a changing service landscape. The identity wallet is not only a solution for the future but a concrete opportunity with benefits to already be realised today,” says Mansikkamäki.
Prepare for the EU digital identity wallet