Google has formed a digital identity partnership with Polish ID-verification startup Authologic.
“Google Wallet already lets users store verified identity credentials issued by governments, banks, or Google itself on their phones,” Authologic wrote on its blog Wednesday (July 1). “Using our OmniID platform, businesses can now accept all these credentials, including Google ID Pass, the digital passport available in various countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Singapore and Taiwan.”
When a business asks for verification, users can share just the attributes required, like a name or age confirmation, right from their device, the post added.
The OmniID platform connects businesses to identity verification methods such as Google Wallet, government eIDs, mobile driving licenses, bank-based verification and biometric checks. The platform automatically picks the most suitable method based on the user’s location and device, while offering fallback options for those without a digital credential.
“Google Wallet is already home to verified identity credentials for users across the world,” said Jarek Sygitowicz, Authologic’s co-founder and chief strategy officer.
“Our goal has always been to make those credentials accessible to businesses that need them for KYC/AML processes, without requiring a separate integration for every digital wallet or credential type. Our collaboration with Google is a major step toward that.”
Authologic noted that the timing of the partnership reflects a change in how identity is issued and verified. European Union member nations must make digital wallets available to citizens by December of this year, while 21 states in the U.S. now issue mobile driver’s licenses.
The partnership is also happening at a time when digital wallets are evolving from a more convenient payment method into “something more consequential: a platform for managing permissions,” as PYMNTS wrote last month.
That evolution is clear from two recent developments. First is Samsung’s debut of Samsung ID with CLEAR, which lets American passport holders store TSA-approved digital credentials inside Samsung Wallet.
Meanwhile, PYMNTS reported on Visa and OpenAI’s plans to support payments initiated by artificial intelligence (AI) agents functioning under consumer-defined rules and controls.
“Viewed separately, one initiative concerns identity and the other payments,” PYMNTS wrote. “Together, they point toward a broader development in digital commerce: identity verification and spending authorization are beginning to reside in the same place.”
Research from PYMNTS Intelligence suggests consumers, especially younger ones, are already making digital wallets part of their everyday shopping behavior, setting the stage for them to feel comfortable using them for things other payments.
In November, 15% of consumers reported using a digital wallet for their most recent retail purchase, a 50% increase in the span of about 18 months. Usage among Gen Z consumers during that period climbed from 15% to 36%.