Linux’s OpenWallet Foundation launches forum to drive digital wallet interoperability

The OpenWallet Foundation (OWF) has launched a new framework for collaboration between governments, standards bodies and companies called the OpenWallet Forum, which will be hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Linux Foundation.

“Digital public infrastructure is key everywhere, but especially in developing countries,” says ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “We look forward to driving multistakeholder collaboration around the development and deployment of globally interoperable wallets that help close the gap between the digital ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.”

OWF consortium of companies and non-profit organizations working on interoperable digital wallets under the umbrella of the Linux Foundation and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Founded just last year, the organization has quickly grown to over 350 members.

Last week, OWF announced it will welcome two new members in the business of blockchain, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Hedera and NTT Digital, the consortium’s first member from Japan.

Among the projects that the OWF is involved in is the Swiss digital identity scheme, due to be launched in 2026.

“It shall be useful, secure and interoperable. For the latter, we have joined forces at the Governmental Advisory Council within the OpenWallet Foundation,” says Rolf Rauschenbach, Information Officer for e-ID at the Swiss Federal Office of Justice.

OpenWallet also said it plans to work with the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) and the Linux Foundation to ensure its software is available around the world by providing a full mirror of all OpenWallet Foundation’s “git”-based source code repositories.

Article Topics

digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  digital wallets  |  interoperability  |  ITU standards  |  Linux Foundation  |  OpenWallet Foundation (OWF)