PILLAR 03 / 04RESEARCH DIRECTION

Verifiable Credentials

Interoperable, privacy-preserving and secure digital credentials.

Read the research questions ↓Collaborate

01 — The basics

What a verifiable credential is

IssuerSigns and issues the credential, such as a university or a government agency.
HolderKeeps the credential in a wallet and decides what to share.
VerifierChecks the signature and trusts the claim without calling the issuer each time.

02 — Research questions

What we are asking

Q1How can a credential issued in one system be trusted in another?
Q2How should wallets work for people with limited connectivity or digital skills?
Q3How do we protect credentials against theft, replay and over-disclosure?

03 — Areas of work

Where the work is focused

01
Issuer · holder · verifier
The roles, trust relationships and protocols between them.
02
Interoperability
Credentials that work across wallets, systems and borders.
03
Inclusive design
Wallets usable with low connectivity, shared devices or limited digital skills.
04
Credential security
Protection against theft, replay and over-disclosure.

04 — Whitepaper

Interoperable verifiable credentials for the region

How credentials issued in one country or system can be trusted in another, and how wallets can serve people with limited connectivity or digital skills.

STATUS: Draft for comment
VERSION: v0.3 · Sample
LENGTH: ~40 pages

01Roles and trust
02Interoperability across borders
03Inclusive wallet design
04Security and selective disclosure
05A reference architecture

Download draft PDF ↓Comment on the draft

05 — Technology roadmap

From research to open technology

CompleteIn progressPlanned

Q4 2026
Review of wallet standards
Compare credential formats and protocols in use across the region.COMPLETE
Q1 2027
Reference issuer and verifier
Open implementations of both roles with test suites.IN PROGRESS
Q3 2027
Offline-first wallet prototype
A wallet that works on shared devices and weak networks.PLANNED
Q1 2028
Cross-border interoperability test
Credentials exchanged between two national systems.PLANNED
Q3 2028
Reference implementation v1.0
Protocols, code and guidelines published openly.PLANNED

END GOALReference implementations, protocols and guidelines for credentials and wallets.SAMPLE DATES

06 — Demos

See the technology working

07 — Playbooks

Practical guides for putting it to use

Step-by-step guidance for governments, service providers and builders adopting this pillar’s work.

FOR ISSUERSSAMPLE
Issuing your first verifiable credential
Keys, schemas and revocation for a first deployment.
Download ↓ Issuing your first verifiable credential28 pages · PDF
FOR SERVICE PROVIDERSSAMPLE
Accepting credentials as a verifier
Trust lists, checks and what to request.
Download ↓ Accepting credentials as a verifier22 pages · PDF
FOR PRODUCT TEAMSSAMPLE
Wallet design for low connectivity
Offline flows, shared devices and assisted use.
Download ↓ Wallet design for low connectivity18 pages · PDF

08 — Papers

Publications from this pillar (4)

Sort

2026
Journal articleSAMPLE
A. Author, B. Author, C. AuthorVenue to be added · 2026
PDF ↓ Cross-border trust for verifiable credentials in the region DOI ↗ Cross-border trust for verifiable credentials in the region
Conference paperSAMPLE
A. Author, B. Author, C. AuthorVenue to be added · 2026
PDF ↓ Offline-first wallet design for low-connectivity settings DOI ↗ Offline-first wallet design for low-connectivity settings
2025
PreprintSAMPLE
A. Author, B. Author, C. AuthorVenue to be added · 2025
PDF ↓ Selective disclosure in practice: over-sharing in credential flows DOI ↗ Selective disclosure in practice: over-sharing in credential flows
Technical reportSAMPLE
A. Author, B. Author, C. AuthorVenue to be added · 2025
PDF ↓ Reference architecture for issuer, holder and verifier roles DOI ↗ Reference architecture for issuer, holder and verifier roles

Entries marked SAMPLE show the layout only. Real publications will be added through the CMS.

Collaborate

Working on credentials and wallets? Talk to us.

dpi@ait.asia

Verifiable Credentials

What a verifiable credential is

What we are asking

Where the work is focused

Issuer · holder · verifier

Interoperability

Inclusive design

Credential security

Interoperable verifiable credentials for the region

CONTENTS

From research to open technology

Review of wallet standards

Reference issuer and verifier

Offline-first wallet prototype

Cross-border interoperability test

Reference implementation v1.0

See the technology working

Issue and verify a credential

Offline presentation over QR

Selective disclosure sandbox

Practical guides for putting it to use

Issuing your first verifiable credential

Accepting credentials as a verifier

Wallet design for low connectivity

Publications from this pillar (4)

Cross-border trust for verifiable credentials in the region

Offline-first wallet design for low-connectivity settings

Selective disclosure in practice: over-sharing in credential flows

Reference architecture for issuer, holder and verifier roles

Get involved in Verifiable Credentials

Working on credentials and wallets? Talk to us.

Verifiable Credentials

What a verifiable credential is

What we are asking

Where the work is focused

Issuer · holder · verifier

Interoperability

Inclusive design

Credential security

Interoperable verifiable credentials for the region

CONTENTS

From research to open technology

Review of wallet standards

Reference issuer and verifier

Offline-first wallet prototype

Cross-border interoperability test

Reference implementation v1.0

See the technology working

Issue and verify a credential

Offline presentation over QR

Selective disclosure sandbox

Practical guides for putting it to use

Issuing your first verifiable credential

Accepting credentials as a verifier

Wallet design for low connectivity

Publications from this pillar (4)

Cross-border trust for verifiable credentials in the region

Offline-first wallet design for low-connectivity settings

Selective disclosure in practice: over-sharing in credential flows

Reference architecture for issuer, holder and verifier roles

Get involved in Verifiable Credentials

Working on credentials and wallets? Talk to us.