Monday: nowhere to sign up. Today: the numbers behind that.

Monday: nowhere to sign up. Today: the numbers behind that.

Zero identity wallets are certified in the European Union.

One member state has submitted its national certification scheme for review.
Twenty-four out of twenty-seven will miss the 24 December deadline, according to Euronews.

Now hold that next to the other thing Europe built.

Since early 2025 a consortium has been developing the EU Age Verification Blueprint — an open-source reference app that proves you are old enough and discloses nothing else. Since August, zero-knowledge proof is the mandatory presentation mechanism in it. Seven member states are piloting it inside their national wallets.

It works. It is finished. And it is a recommendation — member states are encouraged to deploy it, with no obligation, no penalty and nothing that happens if they don't.

So Europe currently holds two pieces of identity infrastructure.

One is built, and nobody has to use it.

The other is compulsory, and does not exist yet.

Six weeks left on both calendars.