Technical specifications defining the structure, encoding, and cryptographic verification methods for digital credentials, enabling secure issuance, storage, and verification of identity documents, certifications, and attestations across different platforms and systems through interoperable formats such as W3C Verifiable Credentials and ISO mDL.
Semantic Classification
Content
Technical Details
- W3C Verifiable Credentials 2.0 (Published May 2025):
- Cryptographically secure, privacy-respecting, machine-verifiable
- Extensible data model for identity credentials, university certificates, etc.
- Three-party ecosystem: issuers, holders, verifiers
- Core Components:
- Subject and issuer identification
- Claims/attributes about the subject
- Cryptographic proofs for integrity
- JSON-LD serialization for linked data
- Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) for unique identification
- EU Digital Identity Integration:
- European Commission assessing W3C VCDM v2.0 by December 2025
- Comparison with ISO mDL (mobile Driver License) format
- Advantages: Tamper-resistant, instantly verifiable, issued by anyone, verified by everyone
Applications
- Digital driver licenses
- Educational certificates
- Professional certifications
- Healthcare credentials
- Government identity documents