Looking forward to the next generation of digital wallets is always tricky. We have become accustomed to thinking of the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet primarily as a carrier of official credentials and as a mechanism for tightly scoped, bilateral interactions. Beyond these familiar patterns however, the conceptual horizon remains surprisingly constrained.

A next generation of digital wallets should aspire to something more ambitious. Conceptually, such wallets should resemble the physical wallet not merely in function, but in universality. At the same time, their inherently digital nature should allow them to move well beyond the limitations of physical artefacts, enabling automation, structured interaction, and assurance at scale. This implies a shift in perspective—away from wallets as passive endpoints for credential presentation, and towards wallets as active participants in digital interactions.

Why the kitten? Listen on.......