What IDunion does

IDunion SCE mbH is a European Cooperative Society headquartered in Langen, Germany, that operates a distributed digital identity network based on Hyperledger Indy and Hyperledger Aries. The organization was established in July 2022 by founding members Spherity GmbH, Danube Tech GmbH, and TrustCerts GmbH, building on the 'SSI für Deutschland' research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) from 2021 to 2024. The network provides Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) infrastructure supporting Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Verifiable Credentials, and public DID/Schema/Revocation registries, built on open standards including W3C DID, W3C Verifiable Credentials, DIF DIDComm Messaging, and OpenID Connect.

The company's core products include the IDunion Network (distributed trust anchor for digital identities), Trust List as a Service and the IDunion Management Platform (enabling eIDAS-compliant trust list creation and automated issuer verification for the EUDI ecosystem), and a Digital Product Passport solution for supply chain traceability. The cooperative serves enterprise and government customers across financial services (Commerzbank, ING, DSGV), manufacturing and automotive (Bosch, Siemens, GS1 Germany), government and public administration (Bundesdruckerei, Stadt Köln, Bayerisches Landesamt für Steuern), and technology sectors (esatus, Danube Tech, Spherity).

Revenue is generated through annual membership fees paid by companies joining the cooperative to operate network nodes and participate in SSI use case development, supplemented by Trust List service subscriptions targeting regulated sectors. As a not-for-profit entity operating under democratic governance (one member, one vote), IDunion does not pursue profit maximization but rather sustainable cooperative operations. The organization maintains a small team of 1-10 employees, participates in EU Large Scale Pilots including the European Wallet Consortium and We Build Consortium, and positions itself as a neutral governing authority for digital identity ecosystems aligned with eIDAS 2.0 and GDPR requirements.

Name

IDunion

Legal name

IDunion SCE mbH

Website

https://idunion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IDunion SCE mbH operates a distributed digital identity network based on Hyperledger Indy/Aries, providing Self-Sovereign Identity infrastructure, Trust List services, and Digital Product Passport solutions to enterprises, governments, and financial institutions across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Identity Infrastructure

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Decentralized Identity (DID) & Verifiable Credentials (BPAMAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decentralized Identity (DID) & Identity Wallets (DID methods, DIDComm, identity agents) (FSAPACAG), Federation & Identity Standards (SAML/OIDC/OAuth, Federation Hubs) (HDADAAAG)

Keywords

• Decentralized identity infrastructure
• Self-sovereign identity
• Verifiable credentials
• Trust list services
• Digital product passport

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: IDunion SCE, as a European Cooperative, operates on a not-for-profit basis. Revenue is generated through membership fees from companies that join as members to operate network nodes and participate in the collaborative ecosystem. Members gain access to international SSI research projects, Catena-X, EBSI, European Wallet Consortium, and We Build Consortium.
2. Trust List Services: Trust List Portal and Trust List-as-a-Service offered to enterprises in regulated sectors (FinTech, Wallet Providers, Supply Chain, eInvoicing). Organizations can create eIDAS-compliant trust lists, onboard business partners, and automate verifications.
3. Network Infrastructure Services: Since April 2024, the distributed and redundant network infrastructure is available for industrial and productive use. Companies can operate network nodes and independently manage identity information through the neutral base infrastructure managed by the cooperative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IDunion operates a distributed network infrastructure for Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) that serves as a trust anchor for digital identity verification using Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials. The cooperative provides public DID, Schema, and Revocation registries, a Trust List Portal and Management Platform for creating eIDAS-compliant trust lists, and a Digital Product Passport solution for supply chain traceability. Members operate network nodes and access international SSI research projects including Catena-X, EBSI, and the European Wallet Consortium.

Product overview

IDunion is a decentralized digital identity ecosystem operating as a European Cooperative Society (SCE). The offering consists of the IDunion Network as foundational distributed infrastructure for digital identities, the Trust List as a Service platform for managing trusted issuer lists in the EUDI ecosystem, and the IDunion Management Platform for creating custom trust lists and issuing verifiable credentials. Additionally, the Digital Product Passport Solution enables supply chain traceability and product authentication using verifiable credentials. The ecosystem supports decentralized identifiers (DIDs), verifiable credentials, and self-sovereign identity principles for organizations, individuals, and things.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trust List as a Service A purpose-built solution providing trusted lists for the EUDI (European Digital Identity) ecosystem. Enables verifiers to validate issuer authenticity, supporting trust management for regulated use cases across Finance, Mobility, Healthcare, Public Services, Education, and Supply Chain sectors.
• IDunion Management Platform A platform for managing trusted lists, onboarding business partners, and issuing verifiable credentials. Allows organizations to create custom eIDAS-compliant trust lists and automate verification processes to reduce fraud.
• Digital Product Passport (DPP) Solution A comprehensive solution implementing Digital Product Passports using verifiable credentials. Supports supply chain traceability from raw material suppliers through manufacturers to consumers and recyclers, enabling verification of product authenticity, composition, origin, and ESG information.
• IDunion Network A distributed network serving as a trust anchor for digital identity-based use cases. Built on Hyperledger Indy/Aries with public DID, Schema, and Revocation registries, enabling secure storage and management of metadata for decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• B2B eCommerce credential verification reduced from 1-2 days to real-time verification during checkout
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

42 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Catena-XcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDunion SCE members gain access to international research projects including Catena-X, the European network for automotive data exchange. IDunion's SSI infrastructure can be used to support digital identity and credential verification within the Catena-X ecosystem.
• European Blockchain Service Infrastructure (EBSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDunion coordinates SSI projects under EBSI, including interoperability with solutions from Germany, Austria (Meine Sichere ID), Finland (Findy), and Italy (DIZME/InfoCert). EBSI serves as the EU-level blockchain infrastructure for digital trust services.
• European Wallet ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four EU Large Scale Pilots for the EUDI Wallet. IDunion participates in pilot activities for testing wallet components and use cases as part of the EU Digital Identity framework.
• We Build KonsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge-scale European pilot project that IDunion SCE members gain access to, contributing to European digital identity infrastructure development.
• Spherity GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of IDunion SCE. Provides decentralized identity management solutions for organizations, machines, products, data, and algorithms. Contributed Credentialing Service for US pharmaceutical supply chain (DSCSA compliance) and organizational identity use cases in the IDunion network.
• Danube Tech GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of IDunion SCE. Specializes in SSI interoperability across networks and borders. Products include Universal Resolver and godiddy.com, enabling cross-border credential verification within the IDunion ecosystem.
• TrustCerts GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of IDunion SCE. Cyber security startup focused on verifiable credentials and digital identities using blockchain compliant with German data protection and security requirements.
• Main Incubator GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium leader of the original 'SSI für Deutschland' research project. R&D unit of Commerzbank AG, conducting SSI research since 2017. Developed the Lissi Wallet app available on app stores. Led the launch of the test network in August 2020.
• Bundesdruckerei GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman government printing company and trust service provider, contributing to the trust anchor infrastructure and eIDAS-compliant identity verification within the IDunion network.
• Robert Bosch GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner working on digital master data and certificate management using SSI. Contributed to Economy of Things (EoT) project for automated compliance in supply chains. Participated in Digital Product Passport demonstrations as manufacturer.
• esatus AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSI technology company and IT security consultancy. Developed the esatus Wallet app (available on Google and Apple app stores). Contributed Enterprise Identity & Access Management solution. Led the network launch ceremony. Chair of Utility WG at ToIP.
• Technische Universität BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to the technical implementation of the SSI network, including Hyperledger Indy/Aries deployment and interoperability testing.
• Commerzbank AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of Main Incubator. Contributed to the 'SSI für Deutschland' consortium with focus on financial services use cases including AML/KYC applications.
• Deutsche Bahn AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner exploring mobility and transportation use cases for digital identity credentials within the IDunion network.
• ING DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner providing financial sector perspective on SSI for identity management, anti-money laundering, and reusable KYC credentials.
• Siemens AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner demonstrating B2B eCommerce credential verification use cases. Operates B2B online platform using verifiable credentials for real-time business partner verification.
• GS1 Germany GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner providing Global Location Number (GLN) credentials and GS1 standards for organizational digital identity verification in supply chain and product traceability use cases.
• Bank-Verlag GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner providing banking sector expertise and trust services for the IDunion SSI ecosystem.
• regio iT GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing IT expertise for municipal and regional digital identity use cases.
• Stadt KölnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Cologne as consortium partner contributing municipal administration use cases for digital identity.
• Deutsche Telekom AG (Telekom Innovation Laboratories)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing telecommunications and digital infrastructure expertise to the consortium.
• Festo SE & Co. KGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing industrial automation and IoT identity use cases.
• Creditreform Boniversum GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing credit information and business identity verification expertise.
• YES Payment Services GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner contributing payment services and financial sector digital identity use cases.
• Verband der Vereine Creditreform e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner providing business credit information and credit reporting expertise.
• European School of Management and Technology (ESMT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research provider for the 'Begleitforschung Sichere Digitale Identitäten' program on behalf of BMWK. Prepared cost-saving estimation paper for organizational digital identities and EUDI wallets.
• Bayerisches Landesamt für Steuern (BayLfSt)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESSI project partner using IDunion test network for ELSTER Self-Sovereign Identities platform — issuing verifiable credentials for income tax assessments to be used for credit applications.
• Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband e.V. (DSGV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESSI project partner demonstrating income tax credential use within Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe for credit and loan applications.
• BundessteuerberaterkammerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating in NESSI project to investigate and integrate the authorized representative role of tax advisors in SSI-based credential workflows.
• Fraunhofer FITminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal research partner in the NESSI project contributing technical expertise for the ELSTER SSI platform implementation.
• mgm technology partners GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal service provider for the NESSI project contributing to technical concept and prototype implementation.
• Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal academic partner in the NESSI project contributing research expertise for SSI implementation.
• BundesanzeigerverlagminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContact organization for Digital Product Passport use cases, providing business registry and transparency services for organizational identity verification.
• Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContact organization for Digital Product Passport demonstrations, contributing mobility and transportation sector expertise.
• European Centre for Certification and Privacy (ECCP / EECC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing warranty certificate demo (warranty-demo.ssi.eecc.de) and supporting DPP implementation with verifiable credential expertise.
• R3 LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnterprise blockchain software company, associated partner in the original consortium contributing enterprise DLT expertise.
• BWI GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT services company for German federal government, associated partner contributing public sector digital identity expertise.
• DATEV eGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner providing tax advisory software integration for the NESSI project and credential issuance workflows.
• 51nodes GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlockchain and SSI services company, associated partner contributing technical implementation expertise.
• Spherity GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISO 27001 certified SSI company, associated partner contributing credentialing service and supply chain compliance expertise.
• targens GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated partner providing trust services and issuing organizational eID credentials as a qualified trust service provider.
• Trust-over-IP (ToIP) FoundationcoreTechnology or IntegrationInternational standards organization whose governance framework IDunion adopts. IDunion contributes to ToIP working groups (Utility WG chaired by esatus AG) and uses the ToIP Trust Spoke model for its governance architecture.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Affinidi: Decentralized identity and verifiable data platform using DLT, selling issuer/verifier tooling to enterprises. Competes for similar trust infrastructure and credential issuance workloads.
• Trinsic: SaaS platform for issuing and accepting verifiable credentials with an embedded wallet ecosystem. Targets the same developer and enterprise buyers that IDunion's Trust List and Management Platform serve.
• Sphereon: SSI solutions provider offering digital identity, verifiable credentials, and wallet components; competes with IDunion for issuer, verifier and wallet integration work across EU programs.
• Indicio: Provider of decentralized identity solutions built on Hyperledger Indy/Aries — the same core stack as IDunion — with comparable government and enterprise deployments in verifiable credentials.
• cheqd: Decentralized identity network built on DLT, focused on verifiable credential trust infrastructure and payment rails. Direct competitor to IDunion's productized trust and credential services across SSI ecosystems.

Emerging players

• Dock: Decentralized identity and verifiable credentials network offering issuance APIs and wallet infrastructure. Overlaps with IDunion on credential issuance and trust list-style interoperability, primarily at smaller scale.

Regional players

• Meine Sichere ID: Austrian national SSI initiative collaborating with EBSI, providing interoperable digital identity wallets. Operates as a regional SSI counterpart to IDunion within the broader German-speaking EU bloc.
• Verimi: Germany-based digital identity platform providing login and identity services to enterprises and public-sector use cases. Competes with IDunion's wallet-adjacent and trust-list offerings in the German market.
• DIZME (InfoCert): Italian decentralized identity network coordinated with EBSI, offering credential issuance and wallet infrastructure. Comparable to IDunion as a member-state-level SSI network targeting EUDI ecosystem roles.

Broad incumbents

• Polygon ID: Identity protocol from the Polygon ecosystem using zero-knowledge proofs for verifiable credentials. A larger, venture-funded alternative stack targeting EUDI wallet use cases and competing for issuer/verifier integrations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IDunion_SCE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/idunion

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IDunion