Verifiable Credentials & Identity Wallets (W3C VC 2.0)
Cryptographically verifiable claims issued by trusted parties and presented via identity wallets, enabling selective disclosure and offline verification.
Overview
Verifiable Credentials (VCs) allow entities to issue cryptographically signed credentials that holders store and present through identity wallets. Verifiers check proofs without calling the issuer, enabling privacy-preserving flows and offline checks.
How it works
- Issuance: Issuer signs a credential to the holder’s wallet.
- Presentation: Holder creates a verifiable presentation with selective attributes.
- Verification: Verifier validates signature, status/revocation, and schema against trusted keys/registries.
Common use cases
- Digital diplomas & licenses
- Age or attribute checks
- Travel & cross-border credentials
Strengths and limitations
Strengths: Privacy via selective disclosure; offline verification; open standards.
Limitations: Interop profiles; governance/trust frameworks; revocation/status infrastructure.
Key terms
- Verifiable presentation: A bundle proving certain claims to a verifier.
- Issuer/Holder/Verifier: Roles in VC ecosystems.
References
Vendors using Verifiable Credentials & Identity Wallets (W3C VC 2.0)
Latest Data Cards
Data Card IDEMIA Public Security and Proof partner on privacy-preserving verifiable credentials
2026-03-04CC-BY-4.0verifiable-credentialsdigital-ididemiaIDEMIA Public Security and Proof announced a partnership to combine biometric identity verification with cryptographically secured, user-controlled verifiable digital credentials.
- The companies said the framework is intended to support use cases such as KYC sharing, identity-affirmed payments, and regulated digital transactions.
- The announcement emphasizes selective disclosure, zero-knowledge proofs, and user revocability as core privacy controls.
- The partnership links a major biometric identity vendor with a PKI-centered digital trust platform, pointing toward reusable credentials that span physical and digital channels.
Data Card World Bank proposes verifiable-credential model for portable payment identities
2026-03-02CC-BY-4.0verifiable-credentialsdigital-idThe World Bank published a technical note proposing a reusable 'Payments Identity Credential' that would carry KYC-verified identity data across fast-payment ecosystems using verifiable-credential architecture.
- The model would let identity attributes travel across payment providers instead of remaining siloed inside each institution's onboarding stack.
- The proposed credential is designed to support account onboarding, recipient verification, and stronger fraud controls in fast-payment systems.
- The World Bank positions the concept as part of a broader trust framework linking digital ID, payment rails, and interoperability governance.
Data Card Telefonica Tech Launches Self-Sovereign Identity Platform Based on Verifiable Credentials
2026-01-12CC-BY-4.0verifiable-credentialstelefonica-techTelefonica Tech launched a self-sovereign digital identity solution that stores verifiable credentials on user devices and supports selective disclosure. The company says organizations can issue, verify, and revoke credentials for use cases such as age checks and access control.
- Credentials are stored locally on user devices with user-controlled sharing.
- The platform supports issuance, verification, and revocation of verifiable credentials.
- Telecom and enterprise use cases cited include age verification, access control, and digital certificate issuance.