Nect selected to provide digital ID alternative to BundID in Schleswig-Holstein

German trust services provider Nect will provide digital identity identification and authentication services to the government services platform of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s northernmost state. The company will offer its Nect Wallet to residents as an alternative to the BundID, a federal electronic identity (eID) used to access services from federal, state and local governments.

Germany has been experiencing low adoption of eIDs: Only 5.1 million users currently have a BundID account, while Germany’s population is 84.4 million. The digital ID is only used by nine of the country’s 16 federal states. The move highlights ongoing challenges with digital identity adoption in Germany, where federal and state authorities are pursuing different approaches to expand access to online public services while preparing for the transition to European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets.

The addition of the new log-in method from Nect is intended to simplify access to digital administrative services, leading to a significant increase in their use, according to the firm. The new digital ID will also prepare Schleswig-Holstein for the integration of the upcoming European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. Technical implementation is provided by IT company Dataport.

“This collaboration is a significant step toward advancing digital identities in Germany,” Bennet Jürgens, CEO and founder of Nect, said in a statement. “It creates a trustworthy foundation for scalable digital administrative processes and the future integration of European identity solutions such as the EUDI Wallet.”

Nect has also been working with German health insurers on creating an identification process for patients. Last year, the German National Digital Health Agency (Gematik) approved remote identity verification using biometrics.

Verification is done through Nect Ident ePass: Users can capture an ID document, scan it with an NFC chip, and submit a video selfie for biometric verification.

The deployment also reflects a broader shift toward mobile wallet-based identity systems in Europe. As governments prepare for EUDI Wallet implementation, providers such as Nect are positioning existing digital identity and biometric verification platforms as a bridge between today’s national eID schemes and tomorrow’s interoperable European identity ecosystem.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  BundID  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  e-ID  |  Germany  |  identity verification