Germany Moves Ahead With EUDI Wallet Despite EU Delays

Germany is continuing preparations for its European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet), targeting a January 2, 2027 launch despite delays across the EU.

The German government is expanding wallet testing through hackathons, developer programs and sandboxes ahead of the rollout. However, fewer than half of the EU’s 27 member states are currently on track to meet the end-of-2026 deadline for their own wallets, according to Biometric Update.

Germany’s own rollout may also begin with limited functionality. The national wallet is expected to launch with core identification and credential functions, with additional capabilities added later.

The country is also testing how businesses and other relying parties will connect to the wallet. A sandbox run by Germany’s Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND) has identified onboarding relying parties as a potential bottleneck for the wider ecosystem.

Consumer awareness could present another challenge. Research from IDnow found that 51% of surveyed consumers in France and Germany had never heard of the EUDI Wallet.

The EU’s digital identity framework is intended to make digital identification interoperable across member states. But with countries progressing at different speeds, the rollout could initially remain fragmented even after the regulatory deadline.