SSI shifts control of identity from centralized authorities to individuals. Explore the architecture, DID methods, credential workflows, and decentralized trust frameworks that power sovereign identity systems worldwide.
Self-Sovereign Identity is built on the Issuer-Holder-Verifier model. Instead of a central authority controlling identity data, credentials are issued to individuals who hold them in digital wallets and present them to verifiers on demand — cryptographically signed and privacy-preserving.
This model eliminates the need for every service provider to be a identity provider. Governments issue foundational identity credentials once; individuals reuse them across sectors without the issuer tracking every interaction.
| Method | Ledger | Key Strength | Registry | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| did:indy | Hyperledger Indy | ZKPs, AnonCreds | Permissioned | Government SSI networks |
| did:key | None | Simple, no ledger | Inline | Peer-to-peer, ephemeral |
| did:web | DNS | Web-based, familiar | Web domain | Enterprise, verifiers |
| did:cheqd | Cheqd | Payment rails, DIDs | Permissionless | Pay-per-use credentials |
| did:ethr | Ethereum | Smart contracts | Permissionless | DeFi, DAO credentials |
| did:polygon | Polygon | Scalability, EVM | Permissionless | High-throughput networks |
An issuer (government, bank, university) cryptographically signs a verifiable credential and sends it to the holder's wallet. The credential contains claims about the holder along with the issuer's signature.
The holder stores the credential in their digital wallet. The wallet manages key material, DID documents, and credential storage. The holder has full control over which credentials to share and with whom.
When a verifier requests proof, the holder presents a verifiable presentation — a subset of claims from one or more credentials. Using selective disclosure and zero-knowledge proofs, only required information is revealed.
The verifier checks the cryptographic signature, validates the DID, checks revocation status, and verifies the presentation satisfies the required criteria. No call-back to the issuer is needed.
Peer-to-peer messaging protocol for secure DID-to-DID communication. Enables encrypted, authenticated message exchange between identity owners without intermediaries.
Anonymous credential system based on Camenisch-Lysyanskaya signatures. Enables unlinkable presentations and selective disclosure with zero-knowledge proofs.
OpenID Foundation suite of protocols for Verifiable Credential issuance (OpenID4VCI) and presentation (OpenID4VP), bridging OAuth2 flows with VCs.
A four-layer architecture model (Network, Governance, Protocol, Application) for organizing decentralized trust infrastructure across technical and human trust layers.
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