Italy's Free Spid System at Risk: Will Digital Identity Become a Paid Service?

Italy's free Spid digital identity system is at risk. Due to delays in government funding, providers may start charging users as early as July. This follows delays in the release of €40 million in public funds, initially promised in a 2023 decree and only partially released in March 2025. "The risk is that from July many providers of the public digital identity will be called upon to make a choice: withdraw from the market, continue to operate at a loss, or start charging users." This situation could impact millions of Italians who rely on Spid for online government services. The government is working to resolve the funding issue, but the timeline remains uncertain. The situation underscores the challenges of implementing large-scale digital initiatives and the importance of timely funding.