Member states face an approaching deadline of December 31 to roll out the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) scheme. While promotional efforts are underway to highlight the benefits of digital identification, research from German identity verification firm IDnow suggests significant obstacles remain before the target date.
IDnow's EUDI Wallet Consumer Survey, which polled 2,000 adults in France and Germany, identifies trust as the primary impediment to mainstream uptake. Respondents expressed anxiety over fraud risks, insufficient control over personal data sharing, and limited visibility into how their information is being used.
Concerns about security outweigh convenience considerations for potential users. Notably, 63 percent of those surveyed indicated they would be "more likely to use the EUDI Wallet if they could confirm certain details, such as their age, without having to disclose all their information" – a key feature the wallet is designed to provide.
Security takes priority over speed (though speed remains problematic)
Multiple factors contribute to consumer hesitation. Identity verification procedures are perceived as overly complicated, with nearly half of respondents reporting they frequently abandon transactions when authentication processes take too long. Nevertheless, security remains the dominant concern, with a similar proportion saying they would tolerate additional verification steps if such measures strengthened security.
The broader picture suggests that despite government initiatives to accelerate digital transformation, European adoption patterns will shift gradually. Building confidence in the system will require sustained effort. Currently, in-person verification at a bank branch remains the preferred identity confirmation method at 24 percent, compared to just 14 percent who favour a digital wallet approach.
European consumers understand the problem that the EUDI Wallet is designed to solve, but they have not yet been convinced that this is the solution. They know that identity fraud is rising. They know that online verification is broken. They know that sharing more data than necessary carries real risk. What they have not yet seen is a solution they can trust and that is precisely the gap the EUDI Wallet must close.
Philippe Morel, CEO of IDnow
According to IDnow, institutions that prepare most thoroughly will succeed by "being able to guide each customer toward their preferred onboarding process and required level of assurance, without disrupting the experience." The company has introduced its IDnow Trust Platform to support this objective.
