EUDI wallet
The EUDI wallet is the European digital identity wallet that all EU states must offer their citizens under eIDAS 2.0.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, known as eIDAS 2.0, requires EU states to provide a digital identity wallet. People keep their proof of identity and further credentials in it, such as diplomas or driver's licenses, and present them selectively. A common technical framework, the Architecture and Reference Framework, defines formats and protocols, including SD-JWT VC, ISO mdoc and OID4VP.
For agents, the wallet opens a standardized way to prove the principal: a mandate can be bound to a person whose identity is proven by the state, without revealing every detail.
Example
A business owner in Austria identifies with her EUDI wallet to a mandate service. The service issues a mandate for her accounting agent and binds it to her identity. Authorities later see that a person identified by the state stands behind the agent.
How it differs
The EUDI wallet is the European counterpart to the Swiss e-ID with swiyu. Both prove identity; an agent mandate proves authority. The wallet is a place to keep credentials, not a credential itself.
In practice
- When issuing mandates, request only the details from the wallet that the binding needs.
- Design mandates so they can refer to a government identity once wallets are widespread.
- Treat the wallet as proof of origin, not authority: what an agent may do is stated in the mandate.
Role in KYA
KYA verifies credentials in the SD-JWT VC format, which is also used in the EUDI wallet. A dedicated profile for government wallets as proof of the principal's origin is planned.
Related check: Agent and principal (subject_agent_binding). Do all parts name the same agent, is the principal named, does the agent hold the bound key?
Frequently asked questions
What is the EUDI wallet?
The European digital identity wallet under eIDAS 2.0. People keep identity and further credentials in it and present them selectively.
When will the EUDI wallet be available?
eIDAS 2.0 has applied since May 2024 and requires EU states to provide wallets. Introduction follows the schedules of the individual states.
Which formats does the EUDI wallet use?
The technical framework provides for SD-JWT VC and ISO mdoc, among others, and OID4VP for presentation.
Does the EUDI wallet apply in Switzerland?
Switzerland is not part of the EU and has its own system with the e-ID and swiyu, based on comparable building blocks.