Received recognition as the victor of the Living Standards Award in the year 2018
The world of digital identity is rapidly evolving, driven by regulatory demands and technological innovation. A key focus in this field is interoperability, security, and regulatory compliance, with several major frameworks shaping the landscape, particularly in Europe, the United States, and globally via ISO/IEC standards.
In the European Union, the eIDAS 2.0 regulation is at the forefront. This mandates that all member states provide a national digital identity wallet app to their residents by the end of 2026. The EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) is designed to store verified personal and professional credentials and be interoperable across borders, following common technical standards. This means that a digital identity issued in one EU country must be recognized and accepted in another, facilitating cross-border transactions and services. Private-sector platforms, especially banks and other large online services, are required to accept these wallets as soon as technically feasible.
Across the Atlantic, the U.S. is updating its digital identity guidelines through NIST SP 800-63-4 (draft expected in 2025), which emphasizes stricter remote identity proofing, biometric verification, and fraud detection. Although these are U.S.-specific, they influence global best practices, especially for organizations operating internationally.
On a global scale, ISO/IEC standards, such as ISO/IEC 18013-5 for mobile driver’s licenses (mDL), are influential in shaping national and regional identity solutions. However, participation in ISO standards development is restricted, typically requiring membership in a national delegation or partner organization, which can limit broader stakeholder input.
Open standards are recognized as essential for achieving cross-border interoperability and long-term system resilience. While the term “open” varies in practice, some standards (like certain ISO/IEC documents) are technically open but not freely accessible, while others (such as those underpinning the EUDI Wallet) are designed for broad implementation and cross-border use.
The rollout of the EU Digital Identity Wallet is underway, with all EU countries required to provide a wallet app by 2026, following common technical standards for interoperability. eIDAS 2.0, the regulatory framework, is in place, but implementation details—especially for private-sector integration—are still being refined. Global standards adoption and interoperability at a non-EU level remain fragmented, with varying levels of openness and accessibility.
For solutions like Austria's "My Identity App" (OeSD) to function seamlessly across borders, it must be designed to comply with the EU’s eIDAS 2.0 framework and the technical specifications of the EUDI Wallet. Only by adhering to these pan-European standards can such apps achieve the necessary interoperability and regulatory acceptance required for cross-border use. Outside the EU, alignment with ISO/IEC and NIST guidelines may be necessary, but full global interoperability remains a work in progress.
In conclusion, the current status of international standardization for cross-border digital identity technologies is advanced within the EU, thanks to eIDAS 2.0 and the EUDI Wallet, which mandate interoperability and high security for all member states by 2026. Globally, ISO/IEC and NIST provide influential but less uniformly adopted standards. For solutions like "My Identity App," full cross-border functionality depends on strict compliance with EU regulations and technical interoperability standards, making them part of a larger, standardized ecosystem rather than standalone national solutions.
Data-and-cloud-computing technology plays a crucial role in the implementation and management of digital identity wallets, such as the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) and Austria's "My Identity App" (OeSD). These wallets store verified personal and professional credentials and require secure, interoperable cloud systems for cross-border transactions and services.
The rapid evolution of digital identity is also fueled by data-and-cloud-computing technology, as it enables the development and deployment of robust, scalable, and secure digital identity solutions that meet regulatory demands and facilitate international collaboration.
