Businesses across Europe face a growing challenge as new digital identity requirements approach, with regulated services needing to prepare for the arrival of European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallets). Identity verification provider Hopae is helping companies get ahead of the transition by adding Germany’s d-you and Denmark’s AltID Wallet to its Hopae Connect sandbox, allowing businesses to test wallet-based identity verification before the technology reaches wider adoption.
For companies that have yet to explore digital identity wallets, the opportunity to experiment in a testing environment could help clarify what implementation will involve. Hopae Connect provides access to both national wallets through a single API, removing the need for businesses to arrange separate access to each country’s sandbox. Product and engineering teams can use the environment to examine verification journeys, assess integration requirements and identify potential issues before moving towards production.
The development comes as the EU advances its revised eIDAS Regulation, commonly known as eIDAS 2.0. The framework aims to establish a common approach to digital identity across the bloc, allowing individuals to prove who they are, store digital credentials and share selected information with public and private sector services.
Rather than requiring individuals to disclose all their personal details for every interaction, EUDI Wallets are designed to support the selective sharing of information. Depending on the transaction, a user could confirm their identity or demonstrate a specific attribute, such as their age, without necessarily providing additional personal data.
For businesses, the implications extend beyond introducing another verification method. Companies will need to consider how wallet-based checks fit into customer onboarding, authentication and existing identity management systems. They will also need to understand how their applications should process the credentials presented and how the experience will affect customers.
The regulatory timetable makes this preparation increasingly important. EU Member States must provide at least one EUDI Wallet by the end of 2026. By December 2027, certain private-sector services will also be required to accept compliant wallets when customers choose to use them, subject to the framework’s scope and exemptions. The rules do not apply to every business, but organisations covered by the requirements will need to prepare their systems and processes.
Germany’s d-you and Denmark’s AltID offer two examples of how national implementations are progressing. Germany’s state EUDI Wallet is being developed by the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (SPRIND) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernisation (BMDS). The country plans to release its first version in early 2027, with additional capabilities expected to follow.
Denmark’s AltID is operated by the Danish Agency for Digital Government (DIGST). The official digital identity and credentials app currently supports a photo ID card and proof of age for domestic use, while additional credentials and EU-wide functionality are planned.
These differences mean businesses cannot assume every wallet will offer identical capabilities from the outset. Testing national implementations can help organisations understand how individual credentials are presented and what their systems need to support across different markets.
Hopae participates in both sandboxes as an intermediary service provider and wallet verifier. Through Hopae Connect, customers can explore the experience using a test application or connect their own systems through the API to evaluate verification workflows.
However, the current availability of d-you and AltID is limited to sandbox environments, and functionality depends on the capabilities provided by each national testing environment. Hopae said it plans to support both wallets in production as they launch, with further EUDI Wallets to be added as additional national sandboxes become available.
For compliance and technology teams, early testing offers a way to move beyond theoretical preparation and begin assessing the practical requirements of wallet acceptance. Organisations can use this period to identify integration gaps, review customer journeys and determine what changes may be needed before the relevant deadlines arrive.
As Europe moves towards a shared digital identity framework, the challenge for businesses will be turning regulatory requirements into working verification processes. Testing now could help organisations understand what that transition means for their systems, customers and compliance obligations.
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