Digital identity allows individuals to authenticate themselves securely to access online services, make transactions, or complete administrative tasks. Faced with increasing cyber threats and the need to simplify these processes, its deployment is accelerating. At TRUSTECH 2024, industry leaders, including VISA, ANTS, Chamber Sign, and La Poste, discussed upcoming developments, such as enhancing existing solutions and developing professional digital identities. Together, they explored recent progress, new use cases, and future perspectives of this strategic sector, at the crossroads of national and European challenges.

Promising Advances in 2024 for France

In 2024, digital identity in France made significant progress, such as the large-scale deployment of the France Identité application, which provides secure access to online services. “This year marked the deep dive into the world of digital identity” said Anne-Gaëlle BAUDOIN, director of the National Agency for Secure Documents (ANTS) and the France Identité program. Already used by 1.4 million people, this solution enables digital voting proxies and provides access to a digital driving license. ANTS announced a major development: online authentication without a physical card, currently in testing, which could transform the user experience and simplify access to digital services. Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior is working on integrating France Identité into new applications, such as transport and face-to-face identity verification.

To make digital identity more reliable, interoperable, and privacy-respectful, other developments are emerging, with La Poste playing a key role in this complex ecosystem through its FranceConnect+ platform. This enhanced version of FranceConnect provides secure authentication for sensitive actions, such as accessing banking or medical services, using La Poste's Digital Identity. It aims to combat identity theft by adding strong verification via smartphone and a personal secret code.

According to Candice DAUGE, Director of Digital Identity at La Poste Group, “Securing administrative procedures is essential to strengthening the trust of citizens and businesses”. She highlighted three key uses : Personal Training Account (CPF) – securing training purchases to prevent fraud, One-Stop Business Portal – simplifying administrative processes for companies, and Home Renovation Subsidies – ensuring that the right people access support for renovating their houses. FranceConnect+ has over 6.5 million users and provides enhanced security to prevent identity theft and protect users.

Mélanie BENARD-CROZAT and Stéphane GASCH discussing digital identity during a conference at TRUSTECH

New Frontiers in Professional Digital Identity

Stéphane GASCH, General Delegate of Chamber Sign, focused the debate towards professional digital identity, which is crucial to secure business activities. “Identity theft is a scourge that puts many companies in critical situations” he said. Many frauds target professionals, including fake mandates for fraudulent transfers, embezzlement of identity to establish loans in the name of a company, and document forgery to access to banking services. To address these threats, solutions like electronic registered letters (ensuring document authenticity) and signature delegation (allowing employees to legally act on behalf of their company) are being developed.

In 2025, the goal is to unify these uses through common standards and better interoperability. This means that all platforms and services using digital identity will have to follow the same technical and security rules in order to be compatible. At the European level, this harmonisation involves the European Digital Identity Wallet, allowing companies and citizens to use a single identity for various transactions across countries as indicated by Laurent BAILLY, Head of EU Product Strategy – Digital Identity and Open Banking at VISA. Interoperability will play a key role: it will ensure that these electronic identities and documents can be recognised and used seamlessly across the various European administrative and commercial systems.

 

Towards General Adoption and International Expansion

Concrete initiatives are led to accelerate digital identity adoption in 2025. Anne-Gaëlle BAUDOUIN (ANTS) presented two key measures: the possibility of activating one's digital identity directly when issuing an identity card, and a reform allowing citizens to request a new card to access digital services. These initiatives aim to meet citizen expectations while respecting with European directives, particularly the Regulation on digital identity (eIDAS), which sets standards for user authentication and mutual recognition of digital identities within the EU.

Discussions also focused on extending efforts beyond Europe, as many countries, especially developing ones, aim to modernise their digital infrastructures. These discussions want to create a global framework for digital identity interoperability, allowing citizens and companies to access services worldwide. This international expansion, even though in its early stages, could represent an important step in the development of a global digital identity ecosystem, as global interoperability will be crucial for widespread use.

Visitors in the conference room at TRUSTECHTRUSTECH ID Conference Room
The progress made in 2024 shows a collective effort to provide secure and accessible solutions. In 2025, the goal will be to turn these initiatives into reference standards for citizens, businesses, and administrations. The TRUSTECH event confirmed its role as a platform for discussions among stakeholders in this strategic field. As usage expands, Digital Identity is becoming a pillar of the global digital economy. The 2025 edition of the event will provide an opportunity to track the progress made and continue exploring innovations that will redefine this rapidly growing sector.