A citizen pays nothing for the EU Digital Identity Wallet. That is not a business decisi …

A citizen pays nothing for the EU Digital Identity Wallet. That is not a business decision, it is written into the regulation - Article 5a of Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 requires member states to provide it free of charge to natural persons.

It is the right rule. An identity you have to buy is not a right, it is a product.

But a rule about price is also a rule about revenue. If the citizen cannot be billed, the money has to come from whoever needs the verification: banks, platforms, public bodies, relying parties.

Which sets the direction of every roadmap in this industry. Features that make a verification cheaper get built. Features that make a life easier get discussed.

Free is not the same as built for you.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, Article 5a