For the Elpako team, the event highlighted several key trends that could significantly reshape digital services, customer interactions, and business processes across Europe in the coming years.

Digital Wallets Are Moving from Concept to Infrastructure

The European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) was one of the most discussed topics throughout the conference, both on stage and across the exhibition floor. More organisations are positioning themselves as „wallet-ready,” while pilot projects are already underway in several European countries.

This momentum is being driven by the updated eIDAS 2.0 Regulation, which aims to establish a unified digital identity framework across Europe. The regulation introduces digital wallets that will enable citizens and organisations to securely use and share verified information across borders and between service providers.

However, one message was repeated throughout the event: the biggest challenge is no longer the technology itself.

“Everyone talks about a single European standard, but in reality, we still need to align numerous national systems, legal requirements, and identification methods,” says Egidija Bieliauskienė, Head of Sales and Business Development.

Discussions also emphasised that the EUDI Wallet should not be viewed as just another authentication method or a digital document folder. According to Elpako Product Manager Justina Dešriūtė, it represents a fundamental shift in how organisations exchange information.

Digital wallets will serve as secure repositories of trusted data. They will be able to store everything from identity credentials and driving licences to company representation rights, licences, and other officially verified information.

The Elpako team at Identity Week Europe 2026 in Amsterdam.
From left to right: Rokas Jašinskas, Egidija Bieliauskienė, and Justina Dešriūtė.

More importantly, they introduce a new model for information exchange. Until now, organisations have largely relied on sharing documents that must be repeatedly submitted across different systems and processes. The wallet model replaces this with reusable, verified, and trusted data.

In practice, this means organisations will no longer need to repeatedly request the same certificates or supporting documents. Verified information can be shared securely and directly between systems whenever needed.

For end users, the technical complexity behind these processes will be largely invisible. What matters is that services are fast, seamless, and consistent. Achieving this will require more than technology alone—it will depend on regulatory alignment, political cooperation, and organisations’ willingness to adapt their existing processes.

Europe’s readiness for digital wallets remains uneven. Countries such as Denmark are already launching operational solutions and moving into real-world adoption, while others remain in planning or early pilot stages. This demonstrates that building the technology is only part of the challenge; market readiness and institutional adoption are equally important.

Electronic Signatures Are Becoming Simpler and More Accessible

One of the main conference sessions focused on the future of qualified electronic signatures within the digital wallet ecosystem.

Speakers noted that electronic signature adoption has often been slowed by fragmented technologies, integration challenges, and national differences. Common standards and EUDI Wallet infrastructure have the potential to significantly reduce these barriers.

As a result, qualified electronic signatures are evolving from standalone services into a natural component of digital identity infrastructure. Standardisation and interoperability will make them easier, faster, and more widely accessible across Europe.

Business Wallets May Arrive Faster Than Consumer Wallets

Although public discussions often focus on wallets for citizens, one of the most interesting insights from the event was that business-oriented wallets may reach the market sooner.

Business wallets could contain company registration information, representation rights, licences, ownership structures, and other verified organisational data. This would enable instant partner verification, supplier assessments, and cross-border business transactions.

According to Justina Dešriūtė, the real value of business wallets lies in an organisation’s ability to quickly and reliably prove facts about itself.

Even more importantly, they enable a shift away from repeatedly submitting the same documents. Instead, organisations will be able to share verified information directly from their wallets whenever required.

This approach not only accelerates business processes but also reduces administrative effort and the risk of errors.

Financial Services See the Greatest Potential

The financial sector was repeatedly highlighted as one of the first industries likely to benefit from digital wallets at scale.

Today, opening a business account or completing Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures can still take hours, days, or even longer. Organisations often need to collect numerous documents, perform manual checks, and repeatedly verify the same information.

“The financial sector clearly demonstrates the potential of digital wallets. Processes that currently take days or weeks could eventually be completed almost instantly,” says Rokas Jašinskas, Business Development Manager.

Digital wallets allow organisations to obtain verified information directly from trusted sources, making processes faster, more accurate, and less dependent on manual work.

The Real Challenge Is Adoption, Not Technology

A recurring theme throughout the conference was that even a fully functioning infrastructure is not enough. The real challenge begins when people and organisations need to adopt it in their everyday activities.

For digital wallets to become mainstream, users must trust them, organisations must be ready to accept them, and clear use cases must demonstrate tangible value.

Inclusion was another important topic. Several discussions stressed that digital identity solutions should coexist with alternative service channels for people who cannot or choose not to use digital tools.

At the same time, even well-designed and secure solutions will only succeed within a broader ecosystem. User trust and organisational readiness are essential, but so is the ability of systems, service providers, and countries to work together seamlessly.

This leads to another challenge that surfaced repeatedly throughout the event: fragmentation.

Fragmentation: The Hidden Cost of Digitalisation

One reason even advanced digital identity solutions struggle to achieve widespread adoption is the fragmented nature of today’s ecosystem. Users care less about how many technologies exist and more about whether those technologies work together.

Walking through the exhibition floor, it became clear that the market is not lacking technology. Solutions ranged from digital wallets and electronic identification platforms to biometric verification, electronic signatures, fraud prevention tools, and identity management systems. Nearly every problem already has multiple solutions.

The greater challenge lies in connecting these technologies into a seamless service experience.

Different standards, disconnected systems, and inconsistent processes have become major barriers to effective digitalisation. Fragmentation often results in higher costs, longer processes, and poorer user experiences.

As Rokas Jašinskas points out, the market offers plenty of individual components and technologies, but far less attention is given to connecting them into a unified customer journey.

What Did Identity Week Europe 2026 Confirm?

If the event’s main message could be summarised in a single sentence, it would be this:

Europe does not lack digital identity technologies. The challenge now is bringing them together into a seamless user experience.

The biggest obstacles today are user trust, organisational readiness, interoperability between systems, and the ability to deliver smooth and consistent experiences.

For the Elpako team, the event reinforced a belief we have held for some time: future competitive advantage will belong not to those who create yet another technology component, but to those who can combine multiple technologies into invisible infrastructure that enables people to access services faster, more simply, and more securely.

This is the direction increasingly visible across Europe today—and it may become the defining factor in the next stage of digital identity evolution.

Cutting-edge solutions demonstrated how technology is shaping our future and streamlining everyday processes. From AI-powered smart devices and augmented reality applications to real-world 5G innovations, new possibilities are emerging across industries. Foldable screens, humanoid robots, and advanced mobile camera systems were also key highlights, showcasing how innovation continues to redefine our interaction with technology.

The core message of MWC25 was clear—technology isn’t just transforming our lives; it’s optimizing them. While 5G and AI were the primary focus, digital identity solutions also gained significant attention.

The Evolution of Digital Identity

With the introduction of eIDAS 2.0 on May 20, 2024, digital identity is entering a new era. By the end of 2026, all EU countries will be required to implement digital identity wallets, allowing citizens to securely verify their identity and sign documents.

These digital wallets mark a significant step toward full digitalization, but challenges remain—particularly in terms of infrastructure compatibility and user readiness. Organizations must adapt and invest in flexible, secure signing solutions to meet the new standards.

A Crucial Solution for In-Person Verification

Despite the push for digital wallets under eIDAS 2.0, biometric signatures remain an essential solution for situations requiring physical verification.

Why Are Biometric Signatures Still Necessary?

• 70% of public services are still provided in person—fully transitioning to online digital signatures will take time.
• Not all users will adopt digital wallets, making reliable alternatives a necessity.
• Sectors like healthcare, legal services, and government institutions will continue to require physical identity verification.

Until society becomes fully digital, biometric signatures will remain a convenient and secure solution. They enable fast, reliable document signing while ensuring that data is securely stored within digital systems.

What’s Next?

MWC25 made it clear: the digital transformation is unstoppable. Companies that can quickly adapt to AI, 5G, and digital identity innovations will gain a strong competitive edge.

Biometric signatures will continue to play a strategic role—not just complementing but strengthening the digital identity ecosystem. Our mission is to ensure that these innovations become practical tools, empowering businesses and the public sector to move forward.

P.S. A special highlight of the event was our participation in the Pitch2Pitch competition—a platform that gives companies the chance to present their innovations on Mobile World Live TV and gain international exposure. Out of numerous participants, we made it to the final four, proving once again that our solutions have significant potential in the global market.

Rokas Jašinskas
Export Development Manager, Elpako

Germany’s IT Infrastructure Challenges

A prominent topic at SCCON was Germany’s fragmented IT landscape, shaped by its decentralized administration across states and municipalities. This division results in isolated systems, making integration complex. “The absence of a unified national ID system complicates data sharing and hinders seamless collaboration between agencies,” Jašinskas explained.

Digital Signature Demand and Need for Competition

Germany’s demand for flexible digital signature options is growing, accompanied by a call for greater competition in the sector. “Government officials emphasize the need for choice in digital signature solutions to foster innovation and efficiency,” Jašinskas noted. This view aligns with Lithuanian Deputy Health Minister Olegas Niakšu, who underscored the benefits of multiple digital signature options in Lithuania, where Elpako’s Biometric Signature on tablets is gaining traction in the public sector.

GDPR Standards and Consistency Across Europe

Germany regards GDPR as a key standard for data protection, often emphasizing its importance. However, as GDPR is an EU-wide regulation, it ensures consistent data protection across all member states. “While Germany strictly enforces GDPR, it’s essential to remember that these standards unify data protection practices across Europe,” Jašinskas pointed out, highlighting how this uniformity supports effective cross-border cooperation without added barriers.

SAP, Cloud Services, and Simplification

Germany’s ongoing reliance on SAP, known for its complexity and high costs, sparked conversations about the need for simpler and more flexible platforms, particularly in cloud services. Dominated by providers like IONOS and Schwarz Digits, the sector would benefit from accessible technologies that cater to users with diverse IT experience levels.

User-Friendly Solutions and Baltic Leadership

With Latvia as this year’s partner country, the Baltic region’s reputation as a digitalization leader was underscored, with Latvia and Lithuania recognized for delivering intuitive, user-friendly solutions. Jašinskas noted that Germany, facing a shortage of around a million IT professionals, looks to Baltic IT firms for quality, affordable solutions that support foreign innovation in its infrastructure.

Smart Cities and New Opportunities

Smart Cities took center stage, driven by increased funding for urban digitalization projects. Initiatives like the open-access “Heidi” project illustrate how the future of public services will rely on practical, seamlessly integrated solutions. These projects demonstrate that even simple, targeted digital solutions can have a significant impact on urban life.

Small Steps for Big Change

Digitalization often evokes complex solutions, yet SCCON emphasized how straightforward innovations, like digital citizen services or 5G-enabled streetlights, can transform public sector operations. As Jašinskas observed, “The Biometric Signature on tablets is just one way Elpako helps modernize the public sector. Simple, effective innovations can quickly become part of daily life and drive meaningful change.”

Bridging Awareness Gaps and Building Trust

Despite the availability of digital signature solutions, many organizations and citizens remain inclined toward traditional in-person services. “While the digital signature offers efficiency and security for the public sector, greater education and support are necessary to encourage adoption in public institutions,” said Jašinskas, underscoring Elpako’s mission to assist public institutions in effectively implementing these tools.

Sustainable Digitalization and AI Solutions

Sustainable digitalization and AI solutions, particularly for supporting non-German-speaking citizens with official documents, were also in focus. Sustainable, inclusive digitalization is a key goal for both Germany and Lithuania, promising a more accessible public sector environment.

Future Insights and Collaborative Opportunities

Jašinskas’s reflections from SCCON underscore that the future of digitalization lies in intuitive, accessible innovations that enhance public sector services and simplify integration. Solutions like the Biometric Signature on tablets not only streamline daily procedures but also support sustainable digitalization that meets the needs of both users and organizations. Elpako’s approach centers on developing systems that serve as essential, user-friendly tools, shaping a modern and efficient digital landscape accessible to all.