Google Adds Blockchain Technology to Wallet to Let Users Verify Their Age Without Sharing Data
Google is introducing blockchain technology into its wallet, allowing users to verify their age without having to reveal personal information
The new cryptographic system allows users to prove they are old enough to use restricted apps without providing more information than necessary.
Author: Shaurya Malwa | Edited by: Parikshit Mishra Updated: May 2, 2025 3:09 PM Published: May 2, 2025 11:20 AM
Key points:
- Google is improving its Wallet service by introducing zero-knowledge proof technology for private age verification.
- Bumble will be one of the first services to use Google's system to verify the age of its users without revealing personal information.
- The technology allows users to verify their age without providing their date of birth, using a secure blockchain verification method.
Google is announcing a privacy-focused update to its Wallet service that uses zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology for age verification, according to a press release.
Dating app Bumble, among others, will reportedly be one of the first partners to use the system. Bumble will use digital IDs issued through Google Wallet to verify users, with ZKP providing age verification.
The move allows users to prove their age to access certain apps or websites without revealing their date of birth or personal identification. ZKP is one of the most significant applications of blockchain technology outside of real-world assets and financial transactions, although it has yet to see widespread adoption outside of narrow professional circles.
Google noted that the system was developed in response to the growing number of services that require age verification, from dating platforms to e-commerce and social media. “We wanted to create a system that not only verifies your age, but also protects your privacy,” they added in their post.
The ZKP cryptographic method allows a user to demonstrate a certain fact (for example, that they are over 18 years old) without revealing the source of that information or any other additional information.
Unlike traditional age verification methods that require identification or date of birth, which poses privacy and data security risks.
This is achieved through a complex blockchain-based system that processes a condition (such as age) in encrypted form, generating a proof and allowing an external system to verify it using public keys, ensuring privacy without revealing the underlying information.
The implementation is already activated in Google Wallet and works on mobile devices and in applications using Google's digital credentials API, allowing it to be integrated into third-party platforms and websites.
ZK-based tokens have increased by an average of 1.7% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data. The sector could become attractive as giants like Google begin to adopt ZKP technology, increasing interest in the privacy sector, which has been largely ignored by investors in recent years.
