Global Standards

Official global standards that provide the foundation for secure, interoperable verifiable credentials and decentralized identity systems used worldwide.

Standards Overview

The W3C has published a comprehensive family of specifications that enable verifiable credentials and decentralized identifiers. These standards provide the technical foundation for secure, privacy-preserving digital credentials that work across different platforms and systems.

Verifiable Credentials

The Verifiable Credentials family of specifications provides a complete framework for creating, issuing, and verifying digital credentials:

Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0

The core data model and architecture for verifiable credentials, defining how credentials are structured and processed. This is the foundational specification for all verifiable credential implementations.

Verifiable Credential Data Integrity 1.0

Defines how to secure verifiable credentials using cryptographic proofs, ensuring that credentials cannot be tampered with and can be verified cryptographically.

Data Integrity EdDSA Cryptosuites v1.0

Specifies EdDSA (Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm) cryptographic suites for securing verifiable credentials with high-performance digital signatures.

Data Integrity ECDSA Cryptosuites v1.0

Defines ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) cryptographic suites for securing verifiable credentials, providing widely-supported cryptographic protection.

Securing Verifiable Credentials using JOSE and COSE

Specifies how to secure verifiable credentials using industry-standard JOSE (JSON Object Signing and Encryption) and COSE (CBOR Object Signing and Encryption) formats.

Controlled Identifiers v1.0

Defines a framework for identifiers that can be controlled and managed by their owners, providing the foundation for decentralized identity systems.

Bitstring Status List v1.0

Provides an efficient mechanism for checking the revocation and suspension status of verifiable credentials using compact bitstring representations.

Decentralized Identifiers

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) provide the foundation for decentralized identity systems that don't rely on centralized authorities:

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) v1.0

The core specification for decentralized identifiers, defining the architecture, data model, and representations for identifiers that can be created and controlled without centralized authorities.

Status: W3C Recommendation (July 2022)

Use Cases and Requirements for Decentralized Identifiers

Documents the use cases and requirements that drove the development of the DID specification, providing context and examples of how DIDs can be used in real-world applications.

Status: W3C Working Group Note (March 2021)

Related Standards

IETF HTTP Message Signatures

RFC 9421 defines a mechanism for creating, encoding, and verifying digital signatures over HTTP messages. This standard can be used with verifiable credentials for secure HTTP-based credential exchange.

Status: IETF RFC (April 2023)

Implementation Guidance

  • Start with the Data Model - Begin with the Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0 to understand the core concepts and architecture
  • Choose Security Methods - Select appropriate cryptographic suites based on your security requirements and compatibility needs
  • Consider DIDs - Use Decentralized Identifiers when you need decentralized identity management without relying on centralized authorities
  • Plan for Status - Implement credential status checking using Bitstring Status List for efficient revocation management
  • Follow Best Practices - Refer to the specifications for security considerations and implementation guidance

Additional Resources