What Dutch companies can learn from Europe’s top digital ID frontrunners

Background and context

Across Europe, a few countries have emerged as clear leaders in digital identity, setting benchmarks that the Netherlands and other countries can learn from.  

Estonia is widely recognised as a global leader in digital identity, with approximately 1.4 million active ID cards in 2024, each tied to an individual electronic ID (eID). Remarkably, this figure exceeds the country’s population of 1.37 million (as of 2025), highlighting the near-universal adoption of digital identity. In addition to the national ID card, many Estonians also use Mobile-ID as a complementary method of secure digital authentication.

Estonia’s national ID and mobile ID enable citizens to access about 99% of government services online, from voting to renewing prescriptions. This technological infrastructure makes it also possible to rely widely on secure e-signatures. This has many advantages for society and businesses, as digital signatures alone save Estonia 2% of its GDP annually.  

Sweden is also a digital ID frontrunner in Europe. It relies on BankID for digital identity, which is created through a consortium of major banks. BankID has over 8 million users, which represents almost the entire adult population in Sweden. It enables secure authentication and legally binding electronic signatures for a wide range of applications, including online banking, tax filings, government services, e-commerce transactions, and digital contract signing. 

Moving on to Finland, which offers citizens multiple digital identification options, including Suomi.fi, FineID, and Mobile ID. They enable digital access to healthcare, tax services, social benefits, and insurance all using bank credentials or a mobile certificate. The Finnish government is piloting an eID wallet for real-world use: verifying age at pharmacies, checking into hotels, or sharing diplomas with universities.  

Meanwhile in Belgium, itsme^® is a platform developed through a public–private partnership that has become a trusted standard in digital identity. With over 7 million users and active use in 17 European countries, itsme^® enables seamless access to digital services in banking, utilities, teclos, insurance and other sectors. It also supports high-assurance actions like confirming payments and signing legally binding documents, including notarial deeds.

This blog uncovers key lessons from Europe’s leading digital identity pioneers and shows how Dutch companies can leverage these insights to accelerate their own digital transformation. 

Sweden’s BankID and Belgium’s itsme^® are fully interoperable digital ID systems. This means that they are designed to work smoothly across different platforms and sectors, such as government portals, banking apps, telecom providers, insurance services, and many others. This unified approach streamlines identity verification, reduces onboarding friction for businesses, and allows users to move effortlessly between services.

In contrast, Dutch identification systems like DigiD and iDIN remain siloed. DigiD is largely confined to public-sector services, while iDIN lacks eIDAS recognition at the Qualified level, making it unsuitable for legally binding transactions. Without interoperable digital ID tools, businesses face delays, duplicated checks, and reduced competitiveness.

Additionally, with the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) under eIDAS 2.0, interoperability is no longer a bonus, but a necessity. The regulation requires mutual recognition of digital identities across borders, enabling secure, cross-border transactions in both the public and private sectors.

As the Netherlands prepares for a more integrated digital Europe, it can learn from early adopters by selecting eIDAS-compliant, API-friendly identity solutions that are ready to connect with the broader European identity ecosystem.

DigiD is a core component of the Netherlands’ digital infrastructure, but its scope is limited. It’s primarily designed for accessing public services such as taxes, healthcare, and municipal records. For private-sector use cases, like signing contracts, onboarding clients, or verifying identities in banking or insurance, DigiD simply doesn’t apply.

By contrast, Estonia’s national eID allows citizens to access nearly all public and private services online, from banking and healthcare to voting, prescription renewals, and digital signatures. In Belgium, itsme^® supports everything from opening a bank account to signing rental agreements, all with one secure and interoperable digital identity.

Without such versatility, Dutch businesses are left to navigate fragmented identity solutions—slowing processes, creating friction, and undermining customer experience. Learning from leading examples, the Dutch private sector can move toward unified, trusted digital ID systems that serve both the public and private sectors seamlessly.

Continue reading: DigiD is not enough: Why companies in The Netherlands need to adopt digital identity 

Across Europe, digital identity is no longer just about logging in, but also about enabling secure, high-trust actions. Leading digital ID platforms now support verified transactions like qualified electronic signatures (QES), age verification, and consent-based data sharing. These capabilities are increasingly delivered in collaboration with qualified trust service providers (QTSPs). QTSP refers to certified entities under eIDAS that ensure the highest standards of security and legal validity.

As QTSPs become core to digital transactions, they’re reshaping how identity, compliance, and trust come together across sectors. In Belgium, for example, digital identity platform itsme^® is a QTSP. It enables users to not only authenticate themselves but to also sign legally binding contracts and confirm sensitive transactions within seconds, all from the same app.  

By contrast, Dutch systems like DigiD and iDIN remain largely focused on basic authentication, primarily answering the question, “Is this person who they claim to be?” This doesn’t go far enough to support the kinds of high-trust, legally binding actions that many sectors increasingly demand. 

Without trusted services and QTSPs, organisations in The Netherlands risk lagging in efficiency and failing customer expectations of seamless end-to-end digital processes. This gap causes friction in sectors like finance, real estate, energy, and healthcare, where digitising complex, compliant transactions is becoming increasingly critical. 

In leading European markets, digital identity solutions have evolved far beyond mere compliance checkboxes. They are now powerful business enablers that drive growth, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. 

For example, companies leveraging advanced digital ID systems benefit from: 

• Faster onboarding and higher conversion rates: Automated identity verification reduces manual KYC checks and accelerates user activation. Simplified processes reduce drop-off and help convert leads into loyal customers. 

• Reduced fraud: Multi-factor authentication provides stronger protection than passwords or one-time codes, making it much harder for fraudsters to impersonate users or carry out unauthorised transactions.

• Paperless contracting: Secure digital signatures eliminate the need for physical documents, speeding up contract closure and lowering costs. 

• Better user experience (UX): Automated, secure digital identification and authentication lower onboarding and login barriers, keeping customers engaged and reducing frustrations caused by forgotten login credentials. 

• Enhanced trust and loyalty: Verified digital identities build confidence with customers and partners alike. 

For Dutch companies, the lesson is clear: digital identity should be viewed as a strategic investment that fuels business growth, not merely a tool to tick regulatory boxes. Adopting eIDAS-compliant, user-friendly identity solutions can unlock new opportunities, strengthen competitive advantage, and future-proof operations in a rapidly digitalising economy. 

Digital users are increasingly questioning who they can trust with their digital identity. Across Europe, individuals are becoming more critical of how their identity is issued, verified, and reused. A 2024 Cisco survey found that 53% of consumers are aware of privacy laws, and informed users are significantly more selective about who they share their data with. Gartner projects that by 2026, at least 500 million smartphone users will adopt digital identity wallets with verified, reusable credentials, signalling a global shift in expectations toward stronger assurance and user-centric onboarding. 

As people become more privacy-conscious, they expect greater control over how their data is used. They want to choose the level of identity verification that feels secure, not just what's required for compliance. Dutch businesses that embrace this user-centric approach can build trust, reduce fraud, and stay ahead in a fast-evolving market.

Continue reading: The future of personal data sharing and ownership in the EU 

Across Europe, frontrunners like Belgium, Estonia, and Finland are showing how privacy-first identity systems can reduce fraud, boost trust, and deliver a better user experience. Belgium’s itsme^®, for example, uses multi-factor authentication and minimal disclosure identity to give users secure access without oversharing data. This offers strong defence against sharply rising incidents of phishing and social engineering attacks. 

In Estonia, eID is tied to end-to-end encryption and consent-driven data sharing, allowing users to control exactly what is shared and with whom. These systems support cyber resilience across both the public and private sectors, from banking and HR to healthcare and e-government services. 

With eIDAS 2.0 introducing these capabilities at the EU level, now is the time to act. Netherlands-based companies that build around verified identity principles can better serve security-conscious users, reduce compliance risk, and future-proof their services for a more data-conscious market. 

In leading countries like Sweden, Belgium, and Denmark, digital identity success isn’t just about advanced technology, but is also built on trust. These systems work because users feel confident that their data is handled transparently, that there are clear legal protections in place, and that the experience is seamless and secure. 

In Belgium, itsme^® reached over 7 million users by making transparency and legal assurance central to the user experience. The app clearly shows who is requesting data, what it will be used for, and gives users full control over consent. This transparency has been key to building trust and sustained usage. 

In Sweden, BankID adoption was accelerated by strong legal frameworks, visible backing from major banks, and consistent messaging about security and data use. 

Dutch companies can learn from this that gaining user trust is not a side effect but a prerequisite. Clearly communicating how data is protected, who is verifying identities, and what legal safeguards are in place fosters loyalty, reduces churn, and encourages users to engage more confidently with your digital services. 

Curious about the potential use cases of digital identity in your team?