American drivers licenses are basically just EU style ID cards. For new licenses you even need biometric data. State IDs and the "Passport Card" are (somewhat obscure) alternatives.
Europeans only need to apply for ID cards at around the age, were the average American gets their driver's license.
A young American adult is probably almost just as identifiable by their government, as a young European adult would be by theirs.
Seeing regulations like the REAL ID act, I would say that America is headed towards more identification, rather than less.
Does Apple Wallet have an API? It honestly feels like Google Wallet is just working towards copying all the Apple Wallet features slowly but surely.