Google Is Rolling Out a Privacy-Focused Upgrade to Its Wallet Service That Uses ZKP Technology for Age Verification

Google is rolling out a privacy-focused upgrade to its Wallet service that uses zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology for age verification, the company announced.

Dating app Bumble will be one of the first partners to use this system, it was disclosed.

Digital IDs issued through Google Wallet will be used by Bumble for user verification, while age confirmation will be handled by ZKPs, the statement noted.

This move allows users to prove they’re old enough to access certain apps or websites without revealing their birthdates or personal identifying data. ZKP is one of the biggest use cases for blockchains, other than real-world assets and payments, but it has yet to become widely adopted.

Google said it was developing this system in response to the growing number of services requiring age checks, from dating platforms to e-commerce and social media.

“We wanted to develop a system that not only verifies age, but does it in a way that protects your privacy,” the company added.

The ZKP cryptographic method allows someone to prove a fact (like being over 18) without revealing how they know it or any more information.

Traditional ID-based age verification methods, in contrast, often require revealing government-issued documents or date of birth, which creates privacy and data security risks.

This is done using a complex blockchain-based system that runs a condition (such as age) in an encrypted form, generating a proof and allowing an outside system to verify it using public keys, ensuring privacy without exposing the underlying information.

The implementation is now live in Google Wallet and works across mobile devices and apps using Google’s Digital Credential API, which means it can be integrated into third-party sites and platforms.

According to CoinGecko, the sector is up 1.7% in the past 24 hours.