The Future Cryptography Conference returned to Tallinn on 20 May 2026, this year focusing on Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP): how it is reshaping digital identity, and what the future holds.
Digital identity is now embedded in nearly everything: how we move money, access services, prove who we are. For years the main worry was whether credentials could be stolen. Less discussed is what identity providers learn simply by doing their job. Every time you present a credential, the data you share to prove one thing ends up proving many others.
Zero Knowledge Proofs reframe what verification can look like. Prove you're old enough without revealing your birthdate. Solvent without sharing your transactions. The talks in Tallinn traced how far into real infrastructure that idea has now reached, from EU identity wallets and e-governance to Web3 and AI.
In his talk, Lead Security Engineer Aivo Kalu takes a look at the race to deliver EU digital identity wallets by 2026, surveying what several countries are actually procuring and asking whether real zero-knowledge proofs are making it into production. With key standards still unfinished, he argues that the gap between what the law intends and what ends up in production is something the cryptography community can't overlook.
Watch all the presentations from the Future Cryptography Conference 2026.
