Digital membership cards for clubs and associations
By Stephan Bergmann, hashID. Updated
A digital membership card issued as an EAA sits in the member's EU digital identity wallet. It cannot be faked, it shows only what is needed, and the club does not need an app of its own. The club sends its member list, and each member picks up the card with a link and a code.
What members get
A membership attestation that names the club as its source. It holds, for example:
- Given name and family name
- Member since
- Type of membership, such as full, youth or honorary
- Member number
How it works with EAA Broker
- The club sends the data. It uploads its member list, fills in a form or connects its member management to our API. One row per person.
- We prepare a personal pickup. Each member gets a link and a 6-digit code in two separate emails. We send them on the club's behalf, or the club sends them itself.
- The member saves the card. They open the link, type the code, and the membership is in their wallet. Then we delete the values the club sent.
Where members can show it
- At the clubhouse, the bar or the changing rooms
- For member discounts at partner shops, in person or online
- When entering tournaments, regattas or competitions, also abroad
- At the general meeting, to check who may vote
- At events of the federation the club belongs to
Compared with plastic cards and club apps
| Plastic card | Photo or PDF | Club's own app | EAA in the wallet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can it be faked? | Yes, with some effort | Yes, in minutes | Depends on the app | No: any change breaks the signature |
| Extra app for members? | No | No | Yes | No, it uses the EU wallet |
| Shows only what is needed? | No | No | Depends on the app | Yes |
| A member leaves | The card stays with them | The file stays with them | The account is blocked | The club revokes the attestation |
Data protection
The club stays responsible for its member data. EAA Broker processes the data on the club's behalf under a data processing agreement (Article 28 GDPR), keeps the values only until the card is picked up, and then deletes them. Members decide in their wallet what to show each time.
When can members use it?
Every EU member state must offer its citizens a free European Digital Identity Wallet by 24 December 2026. Clubs that start now have their cards ready when their members get their wallets. The background is explained in What is an electronic attestation of attributes?