EUDI Wallet website Launched — All About EUDI — FAQ

Question – does the EUDI wallet use American dollars?

No. The EUDI (European Digital Identity) Wallet is not a “dollar wallet” and does not intrinsically use, hold, or denominate balances in American dollars (USD). It is primarily an identity and credential wallet, not a multi‑currency payment account.

What the EUDI Wallet is

• It is an EU‑recognised mobile app for storing and presenting digital identity, credentials, and official documents (ID, driving licence, diplomas, etc.).

• Its core functions are identification, authentication (login/strong customer authentication), and qualified electronic signatures/seals.

• It is designed for cross‑border use across EU/EEA public services and private services that must or choose to accept it (e‑government, banking onboarding, SIM registration, etc.).

How money and payments fit in

• The EUDI Wallet is not a bank account, payment card, or e‑money wallet; it does not itself store funds in any currency (EUR, USD, etc.).

• For payments, the wallet can be used as a strong customer authentication (SCA) or identity layer in regulated financial services, authorizing a payment that is actually processed by a bank, card scheme, or PSP.

• In such payment scenarios, the transaction currency (EUR, USD, GBP, etc.) is determined by the underlying payment instrument and the merchant/bank, not by the EUDI Wallet specification.

Using American dollars with services that use EUDI

• An EU bank account or card linked to the services you access via EUDI will typically be denominated in euro or another European currency; that is a bank-level choice, not a wallet-level one.

• In principle, if a financial institution that supports the EUDI Wallet also offers USD accounts or USD‑denominated cards, those products could use EUDI for identification/SCA while still operating in USD—but that is outside the EUDI standard itself.

So, the EUDI Wallet neither “uses” nor “refuses” American dollars; it simply does not manage currency at all, and any USD use would come from the underlying bank or payment product you pair with it.

General questions

Q1. What is the EUDI Wallet?
The European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet is an official, state‑approved digital wallet that lets people securely store and present identity data and other verified credentials (such as ID card data, driving licence, diplomas, or bank account information) on their phone or other devices. It is part of the EU’s eIDAS 2.0 framework and is designed to work across all EU Member States.

Q2. Is the EUDI Wallet a replacement for my physical ID?
No, at least not immediately. The EUDI Wallet is an additional, digital way to prove who you are and to share specific attributes when needed. Physical identity documents (like ID cards and passports) will continue to exist and remain valid; over time, more use cases will support the wallet alongside physical documents.

Q3. Who will provide the EUDI Wallet in my country?
Each EU Member State must ensure that at least one EUDI Wallet is made available to its citizens and residents. The provider can be a public authority, a private entity under public mandate, or a combination, but every officially recognised wallet must meet common EU technical and security requirements.

Q4. Who can use the EUDI Wallet?
The primary users are EU citizens and residents, but the framework also foresees use by certain non‑EU nationals who have a lawful relationship with an EU country (for example, long‑term residents). Details may vary by Member State and by the type of credential being issued.

Q5. Where will the EUDI Wallet be accepted?
The wallet is intended for both public and private sector services. Typical examples include online government services, opening a bank account, signing contracts, accessing health services, proving age, logging in to private online accounts, and other regulated services that require strong identity assurance.

Usage and features

Q6. What kind of information can I store in my EUDI Wallet?
The wallet can hold a wide range of “electronic attestations of attributes,” such as your core identity data (Person Identification Data), driving licence, professional qualifications, diplomas, address, age, and certain financial identifiers. Over time, more credential types will be added as standards and national policies evolve.

Q7. How do I use the wallet to prove my identity online?
When a service supports the EUDI Wallet, you will see it as a login or verification option. You select your wallet, review what data is being requested, consent to sharing, and then authenticate (for example with biometrics or a PIN). Only the data you approve is released to the service.

Q8. Can I use the EUDI Wallet in person, not just online?
Yes. The wallet is designed to support in‑person verification, for example at a counter, kiosk, or point‑of‑sale terminal. Verification can happen via QR codes, NFC, or other supported methods so that you can present just the attributes required (such as age or licence validity) without handing over a physical document.

Q9. Does the EUDI Wallet support electronic signatures?
Yes. The EUDI Wallet is intended to support qualified and advanced electronic signatures, which can be legally equivalent to handwritten signatures when issued and used under the eIDAS rules. This allows you to sign contracts, applications, or other documents digitally with high legal assurance.

Q10. Can the EUDI Wallet work offline?
The framework anticipates support for certain offline use cases, such as proving identity or age when network connectivity is limited. However, the exact offline capabilities will depend on the wallet implementation and on the type of credential and verifier involved.

Security and privacy

Q11. Is the EUDI Wallet secure?
Security is a core requirement. Wallets must use strong cryptography and secure storage, typically relying on secure hardware in the device where available. Access to the wallet is protected by strong authentication, such as biometrics and/or PINs, and the wallet should be certified against agreed EU security standards.

Q12. Who can see my data in the EUDI Wallet?
You stay in control of your data. Information stored in your wallet is not automatically shared with anyone. When a service requests data, the wallet shows you exactly what is being requested and asks for your approval. Only the attributes you explicitly consent to share are transmitted.

Q13. Can the government or wallet provider track where I use my wallet?
The EUDI Wallet is built around privacy‑by‑design principles. The rules require minimisation of data sharing and measures to prevent tracking of your usage across different services. Implementations must make it technically and organisationally difficult to build a cross‑service profile of how and where you present your credentials.

Q14. What happens if I lose my phone or it gets stolen?
If your device is lost or stolen, you should immediately lock or de‑register the wallet and, where applicable, revoke or suspend keys or credentials linked to that wallet. Each Member State will define recovery procedures, but typically you will be able to install the wallet on a new device and re‑activate your credentials after proper re‑authentication.

Q15. What if a service misuses my data?
Service providers that accept the EUDI Wallet must comply with EU data‑protection laws, including GDPR. They may only request and process data that is necessary for the specific purpose, and they are accountable under existing supervisory and enforcement mechanisms if they misuse or over‑collect personal data.

Legal and regulatory aspects

Q16. How does the EUDI Wallet relate to eIDAS 2.0?
The EUDI Wallet is a central part of the updated eIDAS regulation (“eIDAS 2.0”), which strengthens cross‑border recognition of electronic identities and trust services. eIDAS 2.0 sets common rules for how wallets must work, how they are certified, and how public and certain private services must accept them.

Q17. Will some organisations be required to accept the EUDI Wallet?
Yes. eIDAS 2.0 identifies categories of services—especially in the public sector and certain regulated private sectors, such as banking and telecoms—that will be required to accept an EUDI Wallet as a means of identification or authentication once the relevant timelines and conditions are met.

Q18. How does the EUDI Wallet interact with GDPR?
GDPR continues to apply in full. Controllers and processors must have a lawful basis for requesting and handling any attributes received from a wallet, must minimise the data they collect, and must respect user rights such as access and deletion. The wallet mainly changes the way identity data is delivered, not the underlying data‑protection obligations.

Q19. What is the legal value of credentials in the EUDI Wallet?
Credentials in the wallet can be issued by trusted authorities (such as governments or qualified trust service providers) and are intended to have strong evidentiary value. For qualified electronic signatures and certain certified credentials, EU law gives them explicit legal status comparable to traditional paper documents or handwritten signatures.

Technical and implementation questions

Q20. What standards does the EUDI Wallet use?
The EUDI Wallet Architecture and Reference Framework points to a set of open standards for credential formats and protocols, such as verifiable credentials, modern authentication protocols, and secure device technologies. The aim is to ensure interoperability across Member States and across different wallet implementations.

Q21. Can existing digital ID schemes and apps integrate with the EUDI Wallet?
Yes, many existing national eID schemes and wallets are expected to evolve into, or integrate with, EUDI‑compliant wallets. The framework allows Member States to reuse existing infrastructure where appropriate, provided they meet the updated functional, security, and interoperability requirements.

Q22. Can private wallets like Apple Wallet or Google Wallet be used as EUDI Wallets?
Commercial wallets can potentially host or interact with EUDI‑conformant credentials if they comply with the regulatory and technical requirements and are recognised by a Member State. However, an “official” EUDI Wallet must satisfy specific conditions, certifications, and governance rules that go beyond typical consumer wallets.

Q23. What does a business need to do to accept the EUDI Wallet?
Businesses must implement technical interfaces to receive and verify wallet‑presented credentials, obtain the necessary certificates or registrations, and adapt their onboarding and login flows. They also need to update internal policies and records to reflect how identity data from the wallet is processed and retained.

Q24. Do businesses still need to store copies of IDs if they use the EUDI Wallet?
Often, businesses will be able to rely on the verified attributes provided by the wallet instead of storing full document copies, though this depends on sector‑specific regulation. In many cases, the wallet enables “data minimisation,” where only the required attributes (for example, confirmation of age or identity level) are retained.

Citizen experience and accessibility

Q25. Will the EUDI Wallet be free for citizens?
The regulation expects Member States to provide wallets to citizens and residents without charging usage fees for basic functionality. Some value‑added services might incur costs, but core identification and authentication features should be accessible without a direct fee.

Q26. On which devices will the EUDI Wallet be available?
Wallets are expected to be available on common smartphone platforms and, in some cases, on other connected devices. Specific device support will depend on the implementation in each Member State, but the goal is broad accessibility and support for secure hardware where possible.

Q27. How easy is it to get started with the EUDI Wallet?
Onboarding typically involves installing the wallet app, proving your identity (for example using an existing national eID or visiting an enrolment point), and then receiving your initial credentials. Once set up, most everyday actions—such as logging in or sharing a specific attribute—are designed to be quick and guided.

Q28. How does the EUDI Wallet help prevent oversharing of personal data?
The wallet supports selective disclosure, allowing you to share only the attributes needed for a particular purpose, such as confirming you are over a certain age without revealing your full date of birth. This reduces unnecessary exposure of personal information compared to traditional document checks.

Q29. Is the EUDI Wallet accessible for users with disabilities?
Wallets must follow EU accessibility requirements so that people with different abilities can use them. This includes support for assistive technologies, clear interfaces, and simple consent flows, and is intended to make the wallet usable by older people and those with lower digital skills.