Google Wallet has announced several updates that help users prove their age and identity.
The company has also expanded the number of countries and U.S. states where different functions of Google Wallet are now available, according to a Tuesday (April 29) blog post.
One update allows residents of the United Kingdom to create digital ID passes with their U.K. passports and store them in Google Wallet, according to the post. At launch, through a partnership with Rail Delivery Group, train travelers will be able to use their digital ID to verify their eligibility for select Railcards.
Another update will expand digital IDs to more U.S. states and territories. Residents of Arkansas, Montana, Puerto Rico and West Virginia will be able to save their government-issued IDs to Google Wallet, while those of Arizona, Georgia, Maryland and New Mexico will be able to use their digital IDs at the DMV, per the post.
“With the REAL ID deadline approaching on May 7, 2025, you can use your ID pass created from a U.S. passport with TSA security for domestic travel at supported airports, even if you do not have a REAL ID driver’s license or state-issued ID,” the post said, adding that ID pass is not a replacement for a physical ID.
In a third update, Google Wallet has integrated Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) technology, providing a system that verifies age without sharing the user’s identity, according to the post. This feature is designed for sites and services that require age verification.
Google Wallet has also been expanded to 50 more countries, allowing users in these countries to view and use digital passes in the app and on the web.
Almost 1 in 10 consumers globally stored identification, access passes for events or services, or other digital credentials in a digital wallet in the last year, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence and Google Wallet collaboration, “Digital Wallets Beyond Transactions: A Deep Dive Into Digital Wallet Use in Five Key Markets.”
The report found that while the use of digital wallets is fairly nascent, there is much room for growth, especially when it comes to non-transactional purposes like storing credentials.
The future possibilities of digital wallets are difficult to overstate, Alan Stapelberg, group product manager at Google Wallet, told PYMNTS in an interview posted in September.
“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.
