EUDI Wallet functions: Your wallet moves to your smartphone

Showing your ID at the airport check-in counter, signing a contract in the afternoon, and paying online in the evening. These are everyday activities that currently require paper documents, physical cards, or separate apps. In the future, all these tasks could be handled through a single application: the EUDI Wallet.

The EUDI Wallet is a smartphone app that enables people across Europe to identify themselves digitally and present official documents. Rather than replacing existing apps, it provides a common technical foundation on which public authorities and private companies can build their own digital services.

To ensure a reliable rollout, the Wallet's functionality will be introduced in stages. Two core functions will be available from 2 January 2027, with additional services to follow. This phased approach allows each new feature to be thoroughly tested before being used by millions of people in their daily lives.

Digital identification as the starting point

The first capability is digital identity verification. Whether interacting with a public authority in person or completing an online process, users will be able to confirm their identity directly through the Wallet. This is made possible by the eID function of Germany's national identity card. For businesses, this means that identity verification and authentication can become faster, more secure, and fully digital. Processes that currently rely on cumbersome video identification procedures, where customers must verify their identity via a video call with an employee, can be significantly streamlined.

The Wallet will also support additional digital credentials. Documents such as birth certificates, driver's licences, or official government certificates can be securely stored in the Wallet and shared selectively when needed. Instead of submitting scanned PDFs or paper documents, users will be able to provide proof with just a few taps. Importantly, they remain in full control of which information they choose to share in each individual transaction.

Qualified electronic signature coming in 2027

During the course of 2027, the Wallet is expected to be expanded to include the Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). Under European law, the QES is the highest level of electronic signature and is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature. This will make it possible to conclude contracts entirely online, including agreements that currently require a handwritten signature by law.

A payment function is also planned. An integrated payment solution would enable users to initiate payments directly through the Wallet, allowing the entire payment process to be completed with a smartphone. However, the timeline for introducing this feature has not yet been finalised.

Why insurers are actively involved

Although the EUDI Wallet may initially appear to be a public sector digitalisation project, it is highly relevant to the insurance industry. Germany has more than 476 million insurance contracts, and for every one of them, insurers must be able to verify the identity of the policyholder with certainty. In the future, the Wallet's eID function will play a key role in enabling this secure identity verification. For this reason, insurers see themselves not only as users of the Wallet but also as active contributors to its ecosystem. One example is the issuance of digital insurance credentials, such as proof of valid motor vehicle insurance. Insurers will be able to issue these credentials digitally and make them available directly through the Wallet.

To unlock the Wallet's full potential, public authorities also have an important role to play. The more official credentials, such as tax identification numbers or birth certificates, are available in digital form, the more practical use cases will become possible for insurers and their customers. Equally important is the Wallet's ease of use. Only an application that is intuitive, saves time, and delivers clear everyday value will achieve widespread adoption.