The EUDI Wallet: Obligation and Opportunity by 2026
With the entry into force of eIDAS 2.0 on 20 May 2024, the European digital identity landscape has entered a new phase. At the heart of this transformation is the EUDI Wallet (European Digital Identity Wallet): a certified mobile application enabling individuals to securely store, manage and share their identity and official credentials both domestically and across EU borders.
According to the regulation, all EU Member States are required to make at least one fully operational EUDI Wallet available to citizens and residents by December 2026.
Read on to discover what’s required by the NIS2 framework, and how BeyondTrust Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions can help you address the following key sections of the NIS2 Directive.
What is the EUDI Wallet?
The EUDI Wallet is a secure, government-issued or government-certified mobile app that allows users to:
- manage their digital identity,
- store and present verifiable credentials (such as driving licences, diplomas, or residency permits),
- and access public or private services using Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).
While use of the wallet is voluntary, its availability is mandatory for all Member States.
Legal and Technical Obligations
The EUDI Wallet is governed under the revised eIDAS 2.0 Regulation (EU 2024/1183). Key milestones include:
| Date | Requirement |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | eIDAS 2.0 enters into force |
| December 2026 | At least one operational EUDI Wallet in every Member State |
| December 2027 | Regulated sectors (e.g., banking, telecoms, government services) must accept the wallet |
The European Commission has also published a series of implementing acts covering interoperability, certification, security and wallet governance.
Implications for Governments and Organisations
For Member States:
- Develop or certify at least one compliant wallet.
- Implement governance, trust frameworks and cross-border interoperability.
- Actively participate in pilot programmes and EU coordination.
For Regulated Sectors:
- From 2027, legal obligation to accept the EUDI Wallet as a method of digital identification and authentication.
- Necessary integration with IAM, onboarding and KYC processes.
- Alignment with GDPR, PSD2, AMLD and sector-specific compliance requirements.
For Citizens and Consumers:
- A unified, cross-border digital identity solution.
- Enhanced privacy through selective disclosure and user control.
- Seamless access to public and private digital services throughout the EU.
Current Status and Key Challenges
Several Member States — including Belgium, Estonia, Germany and Italy — are involved in large-scale EU pilot projects. Belgium is exploring how existing systems such as itsme® could be incorporated within the national wallet architecture.
Primary challenges include:
- interoperability between national and EU-level systems,
- enforcement of robust wallet security standards,
- harmonisation of verifiable credentials,
- and achieving wide-scale user adoption.
Final Thoughts
The December 2026 deadline is not simply a compliance milestone — it represents a strategic opportunity to reimagine how digital identity, customer access, and cross-border trust are managed across Europe.
Organisations and governments that act early will be well positioned to lead in an integrated, secure and user-centric digital Europe.
Learn More at the Digital Identity & Trust Conference
The introduction of the EUDI Wallet and the broader shift towards secure digital identity infrastructure present significant strategic and regulatory challenges for both public and private sector stakeholders.
If your organisation needs to navigate the implications of eIDAS 2.0, verifiable credentials, wallet acceptance, and qualified trust services, then this is the forum for you.
Join us at the Digital Identity & Trust Conference — the leading annual event for policymakers, IT decision-makers, compliance leads, and digital strategy professionals.
