eIDAS 2.0 establishes a common framework for digital identity in the EU. By the end of 2026, Member States must offer an EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) to citizens. The wallet will hold government-verified credentials, including proof of identity and proof of age (e.g. "over 18"). Private-sector obligations to accept or use the wallet follow on a later timeline (e.g. end of 2027 in some interpretations).

The Commission’s age verification blueprint (2025) is explicitly designed as a bridge until the wallet is widespread. It allows users to prove they are over 18 without disclosing birth date or other identifiers, using one-time proofs to avoid tracking. When the wallet is live, age verification can be integrated into it so that users prove age once in the wallet and then present a credential to platforms, with no repeated ID uploads and minimal data sharing.

For platforms, the message is: the direction of travel is interoperable, privacy-preserving age assurance. Investing in solutions that align with the blueprint (minimal disclosure, no unnecessary storage, support for standards like Verifiable Credentials) positions you for both the current DSA environment and the eIDAS 2.0 era. If you operate in the EU, monitor wallet rollout in your key markets and ensure your age verification provider can adapt to wallet-based flows when they become available.