Google Wallet has revealed a number of enhancements that assist customers in proving their identity and age.
According to a Tuesday blog post, the business has also increased the number of nations and US states where certain Google Wallet features are now accessible.
According to the post, one change enables UK citizens to generate digital ID passes using their passports and save them in Google Wallet. At launch, train passengers will be able to confirm their eligibility for specific Railcards using their digital ID thanks to a cooperation with Rail Delivery Group.
More U.S. states and territories will be able to use digital IDs after another update. According to the post, citizens of Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, and New Mexico will be able to use their digital IDs at the DMV, while residents of Arkansas, Montana, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia will be able to save their government-issued IDs to Google Wallet.
“Even if you do not have a REAL ID driver’s license or state-issued ID, you can use your ID pass created from a U.S. passport with TSA security for domestic travel at supported airports, as the REAL ID deadline is approaching on May 7, 2025,” the post stated, noting that an ID pass is not a substitute for a physical ID.
According to the post, Google Wallet has incorporated Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology in a third version, offering a mechanism that confirms age without disclosing the user’s name. This functionality is intended for websites and services that demand proof of age.
Additionally, Google Wallet has been extended to 50 additional countries, enabling users to browse and utilize digital passes both online and within the app.
According to the report Intelligence and Google Wallet partnership, “Digital Wallets Beyond Transactions: A Deep Dive Into Digital Wallet Use in Five Key Markets,” nearly one out of ten consumers worldwide kept identification, event or service access passes, or other digital credentials in a digital wallet during the previous 12 months.
Even while digital wallets are still relatively new, the survey showed that there is a lot of potential for growth, particularly when it comes to non-transactional uses like storing login credentials.
In an interview published in September, Alan Stapelberg, group product manager at Google Wallet, told PYMNTS that it is hard to overestimate the potential of digital wallets.
“Digital wallets started with a focus on payments but have become much more than that today … we’re looking at ways to give people a completely, truly digital wallet and make these experiences even better,” Stapelberg said.
