Germany Names EUDI Wallet d-you and Sets January 2027 Launch

Germany has named its state-backed European Digital Identity Wallet “d-you” and scheduled the mobile credential application to launch on January 2, 2027.

The Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation said the wallet will initially support tasks including proving age, signing legally binding contracts and opening bank accounts. Around 40 public- and private-sector partners are preparing services for the launch.

Those partners include federal and regional government bodies, banks, universities, Deutsche Post, Vodafone and Swisscom Trust Services. Participating organizations will be able to issue or request digital credentials through services connected to the wallet.

D-you will be voluntary and free for users. Germany says credential data will be encrypted and stored on the holder’s device, allowing the user to choose which information to present in a transaction rather than routinely sharing an entire identity document.

The application is Germany’s implementation of the European Digital Identity Wallet framework. Under revised European Union identity rules, member states must provide wallets built to common technical standards so residents can use government-issued attributes and other credentials across public and private services.

Germany has been preparing the system through a sandbox for testing wallet functions and use cases. That environment allows authorities and prospective service providers to work with components before the production application becomes available.

A separate prototype competition has also moved into real-world use-case testing, bringing private wallet designs and relying-party services into the development process. The state d-you wallet will operate within the same European technical and legal framework.

Age assurance is among the first functions named for launch. German officials have previously proposed using EUDI Wallet credentials for social-media age checks, an approach that could let a service receive confirmation that a user meets an age threshold without receiving a full date of birth.

The January launch will give German residents a government-provided wallet designed for domestic use from the outset and for cross-border transactions as compatible European services come online. Initial partners are preparing both credential issuance and verification, so users can present wallet-held information to participating public agencies and businesses rather than treating the app only as a digital copy of an identity card.

Sources: Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team