EUDI Wallet vs MyGovID
The EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) launches in Ireland by the end of 2026. It is built on top of MyGovID, not as a replacement for it. The difference matters because the wallet adds new capabilities — EU-wide interoperability, selective disclosure, digital driving licence and education credentials — while the MyGovID account remains the underlying authentication layer. This page lays out what changes for ordinary users, and when.
Side-by-side
| MyGovID (today) | EUDI Wallet (end-2026 onward) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Web + app login service | Smartphone wallet app |
| Scope | Irish state services only | EU-wide for any compliant relying party |
| What it holds | Login + identity attributes | Login + identity attributes + driving licence + diplomas + travel credentials + health records + banking credentials |
| Selective disclosure (prove just one fact) | No | Yes — by design |
| Cross-border use | No | Yes — EU-wide |
| Mandatory acceptance by Irish public bodies | De facto, but not by law | By end of 2026 (legal requirement under eIDAS 2.0) |
| Mandatory acceptance by private-sector providers | No | By end of 2027, for SCA-required services |
| Built on | Department of Social Protection PSC/PPS infrastructure | MyGovID + new EUDI-compliant credential layer |
What "built on top of MyGovID" actually means
The EUDI Wallet does not arrive as a separate identity system that competes with MyGovID. The Irish wallet inherits its trust foundation from MyGovID: when the wallet first sets you up, it uses MyGovID's existing identity verification to populate the wallet's credentials. After that, the wallet operates somewhat independently — you present wallet credentials to relying parties without going through MyGovID's login screen each time.
In practical terms:
- If you already have a verified MyGovID, your wallet onboarding will be fast.
- If you only have a basic MyGovID, you'll need to verify it first — and the routes are the same as today (PSC or app verification).
- If you have no MyGovID, the first step is registering one.
What changes for ordinary users in 2026–2027
Year 1 (rollout — end of 2026)
- The wallet app becomes available to download. Initial usefulness is limited; few services will require it on day one.
- Public-sector services must accept it. In practice, most will continue to also accept MyGovID logins.
- The digital driving licence (mDL) appears in the wallet for those who add it.
- Some sector pilots (travel, fintech, health) start using wallet credentials.
Year 2 (private-sector mandate — end of 2027)
- Banks, payment service providers, qualified trust service providers, and telecoms must accept wallet credentials. This is the moment the wallet matters in everyday life.
- Cross-border use becomes significant. You can prove identity to an EU service in another member state by presenting your Irish wallet.
- Selective-disclosure use cases — proving age without revealing date of birth — become more common.
Will MyGovID go away?
Officially, no. The Government has been clear that the wallet builds on existing services, including MyGovID. MyGovID is likely to remain the brand of choice for the login experience for state services, while the EUDI Wallet becomes the credential container that proves who you are when you arrive. The two have a producer/consumer relationship.
Over time, parts of the wallet may absorb functions currently delivered via MyGovID (especially around credential presentation), but a sudden migration is not planned and not realistic given the complexity of the existing 140+ service integrations.
The friction with the Public Services Card
The wallet is, in some sense, the digital fulfilment of what the PSC was meant to be — a portable, government-issued identity credential. But the PSC is also being expanded into a banking/utility ID under the Social Welfare and Other Matters Bill 2026. The Government is therefore investing in both a more powerful digital credential (the wallet) and a more powerful physical credential (the PSC) at the same time. Whether this is sensible duplication or transitional inelegance is one of the open questions of the moment. See PSC hub and PSC controversy.
If you're a business
If your business performs strong customer authentication or KYC, you should be planning for EUDI Wallet support now — not at the end of 2027. The technical change is smaller than the policy change; the policy change is large. Vendors who say they're "EUDI-ready" still vary widely in how far that goes. Validate against the EUDI Architecture Reference Framework before you commit.