Malta pursues digital wallet ahead of EUDI Wallet 2026 deadline

Malta is racing to roll out a government-backed digital wallet for citizens by December 2026, in line with European Union rules.

In an interview with The Malta Independent, Kenneth Brincat, chief executive of the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA), identified the digital ID wallet as one of several major projects on the MDIA’s roadmap.

The Authority is the government’s designated provider of the new digital identity service. Once live, citizens will have the option to present their digital wallet, their physical ID card or a passport when asked for proof of identity.

The wallet will be offered as a free, voluntary smartphone app across all major app stores.

Users will find a certified space to store personal identification details alongside the cards they normally carry in a physical wallet. Brincat explained that it will hold attributes such as name, surname and nationality, mirroring the data on an ID card.

Per the European Digital Identity Framework (2024/1183), the wallet must support at least identity and age verification features by the end of next year. Brincat said: “It’s like the Google Wallet, but instead of being a Google Wallet, imagine a ‘Malta Wallet’ that will also, officially, store your identity inside it.”

Given the project’s complexity, Brincat warned that final, full functionality may extend beyond December 2026, though a minimum viable product will be delivered by then. In the future, the wallet is expected to incorporate other everyday cards such as the Tallinja public transport card and driver’s licences. The European Commission says these digital wallets will simplify tasks from authorizing payments and sharing educational credentials to storing boarding passes.

After downloading the app, users will complete a secure onboarding process to link their official identity. This process relies on a Wallet Secure Cryptographic Device (WSCD) to protect personal data. When sharing information users will disclose only what is requested, unlike handing over a physical ID card, which reveals extra details such as address and ID number.

Authorities will validate the wallet’s legitimacy via contactless NFC checks. If someone doesn’t have the app, current identification procedures will continue to apply. The MDIA is also examining whether individuals can register their wallet on multiple devices. Final decisions on device binding and multi-device access are still under discussion at EU level.

Malta’s vision for AI

In late 2024, Malta presented its budget for 2025, with strands focused on investments into digital identity, a new central data repository and an updated AI strategy that feeds into the country’s ambitious economic strategy Vision Malta 2050.

In new comments, Brincat stressed that Malta’s National AI Strategy, which launched in 2019, must be refreshed annually to stay at the cutting edge and shift its focus from purely economic goals to enhancing societal wellbeing and quality of life. Malta has a National AI Strategy which defines the trajectory the country intends to take in becoming a major player in responsible and ethical AI use in Europe.

Originally established in 2018 to oversee blockchain technologies, the MDIA expanded its mandate and released an 11-year AI roadmap aiming for 2030. The strategy began by embedding AI in public administration to catalyze private-sector adoption.

Brincat highlighted a successful pilot in which AI-generated personal learning programs for students in mathematics demonstrated the technology’s promise. Led by Prof. Alexei Dingli, the project has prompted interest to expand personalized AI tutoring into other subjects, though future deployments will need to pass the EU’s AI Act conformity requirements.

Malta gave more powers to its Information and Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) to act as the lead body for AI oversight within the framework of the European Union’s AI Act. Malta’s IDPC has been empowered to act both as the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) and Market Surveillance Authority (MSA), meaning that it will have the responsibility to ensure effective AI governance in the country.

Malta aims to nurture innovation through DiHubMT, its Digital Innovation Hub that offers SMEs and start-ups labs, mentorship, funding access and networking opportunities.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  EU Digital Identity Wallet  |  government services  |  identity proofing  |  Malta  |  mobile app  |  Vision Malta 2050