The Belgian digital identity app itsme has launched in the Netherlands, becoming available to Dutch adults through the iDIN menu as it begins to take over from the bank-backed identification service it acquired. itsme is set to fully replace iDIN by the end of 2027, making the app the successor to the scheme that Dutch banks established in 2016.
itsme acquired iDIN in late 2025, and the Netherlands launch is the start of the transition from the older service to the app. iDIN let Dutch consumers identify themselves online to companies and government services using their bank credentials. itsme replaces that with a standalone app: users register by scanning a passport or ID card and taking a selfie, then authenticate later with a personal code, fingerprint, or facial recognition. The company says the app operates at eIDAS high, the highest assurance level in the European framework.
The launch carries itsme’s Belgian model into a second national market. In Belgium, itsme is used by more than 80 percent of adults and handles over a million identification actions a day, having grown from a bank-and-telecom consortium into the default identity app for public and private services. The Netherlands rollout reaches Dutch adults through the existing iDIN integration, so the businesses and institutions already accepting iDIN form the initial acceptance network for itsme.
“Online trust starts with certainty that your data is protected and knowing who you conduct business with,” said Tom van den Bosch, Chief Executive Officer of itsme. Aniek Berendsen, Head of Fraud at ING Netherlands, said the transition helps people navigate with confidence in an increasingly digital society, reflecting the bank backing that has been central to both iDIN and itsme. Early adopters of the Dutch service include a.s.r., PostNL, BKR, and the football club PSV.
The launch is a step in the consolidation of European bank-backed identity schemes. itsme acquired the Dutch iDIN scheme as part of a cross-border expansion, and has secured commitments such as a Flemish government agreement for free itsme access through 2029 in its home market. The Netherlands transition extends that footprint into a market preparing, like the rest of the EU, for the European Digital Identity Wallet.
itsme is available to Dutch adults now, with the full replacement of iDIN scheduled to complete by the end of 2027.
Sources: itsme
–
By Cass Kennedy
