Verifiable Credentials are transforming how identity and data verification works online — offering a faster, more secure, and privacy-preserving way to prove information.
At Dock Labs, we’ve been building decentralized identity technology since 2017, helping organizations issue and verify digital credentials that users can control and reuse across different systems.
In this guide, we’ll break down what Verifiable Credentials are, how they work, and why they’re becoming essential for businesses and individuals alike.
TL;DR
- Across industries, verifying people's ID credentials is slow, costly, and error-prone. In IAM and ID verification, users often face repeated ID checks across systems. In education, fake certificates and manual verification cause delays and mistrust.
- Verifiable Credentials are tamper-proof digital files that contain verified ID data and can be instantly checked for authenticity.
- The Verifiable Credentials ecosystem includes three roles: issuers (who create the credential), holders (who store and present it), and verifiers (who check its validity).
- Verifiable Credentials help organizations reduce verification friction. They eliminate repetitive ID checks, speed up trust decisions, and cut down fraud — all while giving users control over their data and preserving privacy.
- Use cases are growing across identity verification, IAM, education, travel, finance, and supply chains. Basically, anywhere trusted data needs to be shared quickly and securely.
The Problem Verifiable Credentials Solve
Every day, people are asked to prove who they are, whether it's logging into a workplace system, opening a bank account, or accessing a government service. But the current systems for identity verification and access management are fragmented and inefficient.
Users often have to repeat the same ID checks across different platforms, creating friction, delays, and lost conversions. On the backend, organizations struggle to match customer data, prevent fraud, and stay compliant — all without disrupting the user experience.
This friction adds up.
Financial institutions alone are losing an estimated €5 billion every year due to drop-offs and missed opportunities during onboarding. For many businesses, the inability to verify identity quickly and accurately isn't just annoying: it’s a direct hit to revenue and trust.
And it's not just identity systems that suffer. In sectors like education, the problem of verifying credentials is just as serious. Fraud is rampant, from fake diplomas to forged training certificates, and the process of confirming whether a qualification is legitimate is slow and often manual.
Did you know that over half of all people claiming a new PhD in the United States have a fake degree?
As more interactions move online, organizations need a reliable way to verify digital credentials and identity claims without sacrificing speed or security.
Verifiable Credentials solve this by enabling fraud-proof, instantly verifiable digital credentials that are cryptographically secured and under the user’s control.
A growing number of organizations are turning to this technology to reduce verification friction, improve trust, and future-proof their identity systems.
According to MarketsandMarkets, the global digital identity market, which includes Verifiable Credentials, is projected to grow from $13.7 billion in 2020 to $30.5 billion by 2025, driven by rising demand for secure and seamless identity solutions.
What Is a Verifiable Credential?
A Verifiable Credential (VC) is a tamper-proof digital file that contains verified information about a person, organization, or thing — such as an identity document, academic degree, professional license, or background check result.
Each credential is cryptographically signed by the issuer, making it fraud-resistant and instantly verifiable. Instead of sending a PDF or showing a physical ID, people can share a secure, machine-verifiable credential with just a tap.
For example:
- A government agency can issue a digital ID as a Verifiable Credential.
- A university can issue diplomas as Verifiable Credentials.
- An employer can verify someone’s background check instantly using their VC.
- An identity verification provider or IAM system can issue a digital ID that users can reuse to onboard seamlessly across multiple platforms.
These credentials are stored in a digital identity wallet — a secure app on your phone, computer, or cloud — and can be reused across systems and services. That means faster verification, less friction, and more control over who sees your data.
World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0
When digital credentials conform to the Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0, which is a standard established by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), they can be referred to as Verifiable Credentials.
The Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0 is a “specification [that] provides a standard way to express credentials on the Web in a way that is cryptographically secure, privacy-respecting, and machine-verifiable.”
W3C is an international community where member organizations, full-time staff, and the public work to set international standards for the World Wide Web.
They created standards for URL, decentralized identifiers, and others.
Verifiable Credentials are one of the three pillars of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), which is an approach to digital identity that gives individuals control of their digital identities. The other two pillars are blockchain and decentralized identifiers.
There are three main roles in the Verifiable Credential model:
- Issuer: The trusted organization that creates and signs the credential.
Examples: A government issuing a digital ID, a university issuing a diploma, or an IDV provider issuing a verified identity.
- Holder: The individual or entity who receives and stores the credential in a digital wallet. They control when, where, and with whom it’s shared.
- Verifier: The person or organization that requests and checks the authenticity of the credential.
Examples: A company verifying a job applicant’s qualifications or a financial service verifying your identity before onboarding.
Verifiable Credentials Use Cases
These are just a few of the many ways Verifiable Credentials are being used across industries to reduce verification friction, improve trust, and empower users with control over their data:
Identity Verification (IDV): Issue reusable digital IDs after a successful KYC or identity check.
Example: An identity verification provider can issue a tamper-proof credential that users can reuse to sign up for other services within the provider’s ecosystem - without repeating the entire verification process.
Identity and Access Management (IAM): Enable seamless onboarding and access across multiple siloed IAM systems.
Example: In organizations with fragmented IAM setups, one system or identity provider can issue a Verifiable Credential that other systems in the same organization recognize — allowing users to access new systems without re-registering or repeating identity checks.
Education and Training: Verify qualifications, certifications, and achievements.
Example: Universities can issue digital diplomas that employers or other institutions can instantly verify.
Supply Chain Management: Prove the origin, authenticity, and compliance of goods and actors in the supply chain.
Examples: A port authority could verify a ship’s clearance certificate as a digital credential before allowing it to enter or leave the port — reducing paperwork and speeding up operations.
Healthcare: Enable secure, privacy-preserving sharing of health records and professional credentials.
Examples: Doctors and nurses could share verified professional credentials to get cleared to work faster when moving between hospitals or clinics — reducing onboarding delays and administrative overhead. A patient could present a digital vaccination record when travelling or switching providers.
Human Resources: Verify employment history, credentials, and professional licenses.
Example: A job applicant could share a verified credential proving their past roles and qualifications.
Benefits of Verifiable Credentials
Organizations
- Reduce verification friction: Eliminate repeated and redundant ID checks, enabling faster onboarding and smoother user experiences.
- Improve data accuracy and matching: Verifiable Credentials contain structured, verified data that’s easier to match and reconcile, reducing errors and false positives.
- Enable interoperability across siloed systems: Share and accept trusted credentials across departments or systems without needing to unify or integrate backend databases.
- Instantly verifiable: Digital ID credentials can be verified in seconds.
- Build instant trust: Credentials are cryptographically signed and cannot be faked or altered, ensuring the information is trustworthy.
Individuals
- Full control over personal data and identity verification: Individuals own their credentials and their entire ID verification experience — they decide when, where, and with whom to share their information
- Advanced privacy protection: Users can choose exactly what to share. For example, they can reveal only their first name instead of their full name (selective disclosure), or prove they’re over 18 without revealing their exact birthdate (zero-knowledge proofs).
- Portable and reusable: Credentials can be stored in a digital identity wallet and used across different services, platforms, and devices — no need to start from scratch each time.
- Faster access to services: With instantly verifiable credentials, people can skip forms and physical document uploads and get verified faster when applying for jobs, signing up for accounts, or accessing benefits.
Advanced Privacy Features in Verifiable Credentials
Verifiable Credentials can include advanced privacy-preserving technologies that give users greater control over what information they share and with whom. Two key features are Selective Disclosure and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs).
🔍 Selective Disclosure
Selective Disclosure allows individuals to reveal only specific fields of a credential, instead of sharing the entire credential.
For example:
- Someone proving their name can choose to share only their first name instead of their full name.
- A delivery driver applying for a job can share only their commercial license number and expiry date, without revealing unrelated details like their address, height, or date of birth.
Benefits of Selective Disclosure:
- Share only what’s necessary for a specific interaction
- Maintain greater control over personal information
- Reduce privacy risks by minimizing exposure of sensitive data
🔐 Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) enable someone to prove that a claim is true without revealing the underlying data that backs up the proof.
For example:
- Proving you are over 18 without disclosing your exact birthdate
- Proving your income is above a certain threshold without revealing your exact salary
- Demonstrating eligibility to vote online without revealing your identity
ZKPs are particularly useful in scenarios where privacy and anonymity are critical.
Why Do We Need Verifiable Credentials?
Verifiable Credentials are gaining global momentum because they solve some of the biggest challenges in identity verification and access management today.
Problems With Fragmented Identity Verification Systems
Organizations today face a growing number of challenges when trying to verify identities:
- Friction and drop-offs: People are often required to repeat identity checks across services and systems, creating a poor user experience and increased abandonment during onboarding.
- Poor customer data matching: Many identity verification and KYC providers struggle to resolve whether a new applicant is the same person they’ve verified before, especially when identity data is incomplete, inconsistent, or duplicated.
- Siloed IAM systems: In large organizations, especially after mergers or across departments, identity data often lives in disconnected IAM systems that don’t talk to each other — forcing users to re-register and IT teams to maintain redundant processes.
- Entity resolution problems: Verifying whether two identity records refer to the same person is complex, often involving manual checks, fuzzy matching, and high error rates.
Fake Academic and Workforce Credentials Are a Real-World Problem
Verifiable Credentials also solve widespread issues with forged qualifications and credentials across many industries. For example:
- Education: Fake diplomas and certificates are widely available online. A lack of standard digital verification makes it difficult for employers and institutions to spot fraud.
- Construction: A worker may present forged certifications for operating heavy machinery, potentially leading to accidents and liability for the employer.
- Healthcare: Doctors and nurses face long delays when moving between facilities due to slow, manual license and credential verification. This slows down hiring for critical roles.
- Supply Chain: Fraudulent documents can be used to fake the origin of goods or compliance with safety standards, risking both worker safety and consumer trust.
Verifiable Credentials Offer a Better Way
Verifiable Credentials make identity and credential verification fast, secure, and privacy-preserving. They allow organizations to:
- Instantly verify credentials without manual checks
- Improve data accuracy and matching across systems
- Reduce onboarding friction and increase user trust
For individuals, Verifiable Credentials make it easier to prove who they are — or what they’ve achieved — without oversharing or jumping through unnecessary hoops.
How Does a Verifiable Credential Work?
Let’s say a user goes through identity verification with a trusted provider — like an IDV verification provider. Once the user’s identity is successfully verified, the provider acts as the issuer and creates a Verifiable Credential that contains the verified identity data (e.g. name, date of birth, nationality, or any custom attributes).
The issuer digitally signs the credential using a cryptographic private key. This signature acts as a seal of authenticity that can be independently verified — without needing to contact the issuer again.
Later, when the user presents this credential to another service within the same ecosystem (such as a bank, partner company, or internal system), that service acts as the verifier. The verifier checks the digital signature against the issuer's public key, which is published on a blockchain.
It’s important to note: The blockchain does not store any personal data or the credential itself. It only stores the public information needed to validate the credential’s authenticity — keeping the user’s data private and secure.
Using this system, the verifier can instantly confirm:
- Whether the credential was issued by a trusted party
- Whether the credential has been revoked, expired, or tampered with
- Whether the data matches the expected structure (schema)
And all of this happens without needing to query the original issuer — verification is near-instant, fully automated, and cryptographically secure.
The 3 Components of Verifiable Credentials
Every Verifiable Credential is made up of three core components:
- Credential Metadata
This metadata is often cryptographically signed by the issuer to ensure its authenticity. Contains general information about the credential itself, such as:- The issuer's identity (e.g. the IDV provider or IAM system)
- The credential's unique ID
- Issue and expiry dates
- Claims
The actual information being asserted about the subject (e.g. a person). These claims are tamper-proof and form the core data that the verifier checks.
Example: An identity credential might include the user’s full name, date of birth, government-issued ID number, or verified email address.
- Proofs
The cryptographic elements that allow verifiers to confirm:- The credential was issued by a trusted party
- The data hasn’t been altered
- The credential is still valid (not expired or revoked)
How Does a Verifiable Credential Work With Blockchain and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)?
Verifiable Credentials, blockchains, digital ID wallets and decentralized identifiers (DIDs) work together to create a trusted system for verifying identities and claims — without relying on centralized databases.
Before diving into how they work together, let’s quickly break down the key components.
Blockchain
A blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that records information in a tamper-resistant way. Every entry is cryptographically secured, timestamped, and agreed upon by a network of independent nodes. Once published, the data can’t be modified — creating a reliable source of truth.
In the context of Verifiable Credentials, the blockchain plays a critical role in storing the issuer’s public key. This key is used by verifiers to confirm the authenticity of a credential’s digital signature — ensuring that the credential was issued by a trusted source and hasn’t been tampered with.
Key Benefits of Blockchain in Verifiable Credentials:
- Decentralization: No single party controls the data. Instead, it’s distributed across many nodes, ensuring transparency and reducing reliance on centralized systems that can be compromised or manipulated.
- Tamper-resistance: Once information is added to the blockchain, it’s nearly impossible to change. This makes it ideal for verifying that a credential’s issuer is legitimate and that the credential hasn’t been altered or revoked.
What Gets Stored on the Blockchain (and What Doesn’t)
To protect user privacy, Verifiable Credentials themselves are not stored on the blockchain. Blockchains are public by nature, so storing personal data (like names, birthdates, or addresses) would risk exposing sensitive information.
Instead, Dock’s system only stores minimal public data needed for verification, such as:
- Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs): Unique IDs for issuers and holders
- Public cryptographic keys: Used to verify credential signatures
- Credential schemas and revocation registries
The actual Verifiable Credentials — which contain the personal or sensitive data — are stored securely in the user's digital identity wallet, usually on their mobile device or encrypted in the cloud.
Real-World Example: ID Verification Without Centralized Lookups
Let’s say a user completes a KYC process with a trusted identity verification provider. That provider issues a Verifiable Credential linked to the user’s DID and signs it with their private key.
Later, when the user wants to access another service within the same ecosystem (e.g. a financial app or IAM system), they present that credential. The verifier scans it and checks the signature against the issuer’s public key — published on the blockchain.
If the key matches, the credential is authentic. The verifier also checks the credential hasn’t expired or been revoked — all without contacting the issuer directly.
The Role of Digital ID Wallets
A Digital ID Wallet is a secure app — typically on a smartphone or browser — where individuals store, manage, and share their Verifiable Credentials. Think of it as a modern version of your physical wallet, but built for the digital world.
Unlike centralized databases, the wallet gives individuals full control over their data. They choose which credentials to store, who to share them with, and which specific fields to disclose.
Key capabilities of a Digital ID Wallet:
- Secure storage: Credentials are stored on the user’s device or in a secure cloud-based environment.
- Selective disclosure: Users can choose to share only the data that’s relevant for a specific request.
- Credential reuse: Once a Verifiable Credential is issued (e.g. after a KYC check), it can be reused to access other services within the same ecosystem — saving time and reducing friction.
- Interoperability: Wallets based on open standards can interact with multiple issuers and verifiers across systems, even if they’re not tightly integrated.
In this system, users don’t just hold credentials — they own their digital identity.
Decentralized Identifiers Explained
A Decentralized Identifier (DID) is a unique digital identifier that represents a person, organization, or device — without relying on a central authority like a government, IDP, or tech company. DIDs allow individuals and organizations to create and control their own identifiers, making it possible to manage identity privately, securely, and independently.
In today’s digital world, we often rely on centralized identifiers like email addresses, usernames, or phone numbers to access services. But these identifiers are controlled by third parties.
DIDs flip this model. Instead of relying on a central authority, a DID is fully owned and controlled by the user. It can be used to prove identity, authenticate securely, and receive Verifiable Credentials — all without giving up control of your personal data.
Here is an example of a DID:
Key features of DIDs
- User-owned: A DID is created and managed by the individual or organization it represents — not by a third party.
- Globally unique: Each DID is a unique string of characters that works like a digital address.
- Backed by cryptography: DIDs are associated with a pair of cryptographic keys (public and private) that enable secure authentication and signature verification.
- Tamper-proof and verifiable: The public key associated with a DID can be published on a blockchain, allowing others to verify credentials.
- Required for Verifiable Credentials: Issuers, holders, and verifiers all use DIDs to securely exchange and verify credentials.
- Enables private, peer-to-peer connections: DIDs can be used to establish secure communication channels between two parties, without going through intermediaries.
Together, DIDs and Verifiable Credentials form the foundation of a decentralized identity system. Individuals can receive credentials linked to their DID, store them in their digital wallet, and share them when needed — with full control over what’s shared, who sees it, and how it’s used.
This model empowers users to prove their identity and claims without relying on centralized authorities, while giving organizations a faster, more secure, and privacy-preserving way to verify information.
Create as many DIDs as you want for your digital identity
One of the key benefits of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) is that individuals and organizations can create as many DIDs as they want — each tailored to a different relationship, activity, or purpose. This helps preserve privacy by preventing correlation between actions across different domains.
Examples of context-specific DIDs:
- DID 1: Used for educational and professional credentials
- DID 2: Used for official identity documents (e.g. driver’s license, passport)
- DID 3: Used for online gaming profiles
- DID 4: Used for online shopping or loyalty programs
By using different DIDs for different services, users can limit how much of their activity can be tracked or linked — while still maintaining verifiable trust with each verifier.
Example: Age Verification with a DID
- Shelly creates a DID in her digital ID wallet app.
- The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues her a Verifiable Credential tied to her DID, which includes her date of birth.
- A gaming platform trusts the DMV as a credential issuer.
- When Shelly signs into the gaming site, she uses her DID and presents the credential.
- Using zero-knowledge proofs, the gaming platform verifies that Shelly is over 18 — without learning her exact date of birth.
- Shelly signs in securely without a username or password, and without revealing unnecessary personal information.
In this example, Shelly controls how her data is shared, avoids creating new passwords, and her personal details aren’t stored or tracked by the gaming platform.
What Are Public and Private Keys That Come With DIDs?
Each DID comes with a private and public key. Keys come in private/public pairs and a DID can have multiple pairs.
Private key
- A private key (a string of letters and numbers) is like a password that allows a holder to access and manage their data.
- The owner should be the only one who knows the private key and it should never be shared with anyone else.
- Regarding DIDs, the private key allows people to prove ownership, grant permissions to share specific data, and sign documents.
Public key
- A public key (a string of letters and numbers) that can be safely shared with anyone to send and receive data
- Used for user authentication and verification purposes
To explain how public and private keys work, let’s use the example of comparing a private key to a master key of a car. The car’s owner (holder) has the master key that gives her full access to all parts of the car, including the trunk and glove compartment. She can provide restricted access to other people she chooses. The owner should never give her master key to anyone else.
Now the owner wants to make another key that gives restricted access to a valet or auto body shop to start the car. This key is like the public key. The valet and car shop worker wouldn’t be able to access the glove compartment and the trunk.
To use another example, an employer would use their private key to sign and issue a verifiable credential to confirm an employee's job title. The employer’s public key would be shared on the blockchain so that the verifier, such as a government department that needs to authenticate someone’s work status, can confirm the authenticity of the data with that public key. Basically, the government body can check the DID on the blockchain to see who issued the credential without having to contact the issuing party.
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How to Check the Authenticity of Verifiable Credentials
Organizations can instantly verify digital credentials using the Truvera Workspace or API. Powered by verifiable credentials technology, this verification process is fraud-resistant, fast, and trustworthy.
Verifications can happen:
- On the web (e.g. during onboarding or account creation)
- Wallet-to-wallet (e.g. for in-person interactions using QR codes)
Because the credentials are cryptographically signed by the issuer, verifiers can be confident that:
- The credential was issued by a trusted party
- It hasn’t been tampered with or revoked
- The data is accurate and up-to-date
Benefits of Verifiable Credentials for Organizations
Better ID Verification and IAM
- Reduce verification drop-offs and speed up user onboarding
- Improve identity accuracy and customer data matching across services
- Reuse verified digital identities across systems within the same organization or ecosystem
- Break down silos between IAM systems without centralizing sensitive data
Stronger Workforce Fraud Prevention and Risk Reduction
- Prevent document fraud with cryptographically signed, tamper-proof credentials
- Reduce the risk of hiring unqualified individuals — especially in high-risk industries like healthcare or construction
- Minimize legal, regulatory, and safety liabilities
- Save time and money by automating previously manual verification workflows
- Improve operational efficiency across departments (HR, compliance, IT, etc.)
- Scale onboarding without scaling overhead
Benefits of Verifiable Credentials for Individuals
Verifiable Credentials — stored in a secure digital ID wallet — give individuals full control over their identity and personal data. Instead of relying on centralized systems or oversharing personal information, users can prove exactly what’s needed, when it’s needed.
More Privacy and Control
- Choose exactly which parts of a credential to share — for example, revealing your name and email without disclosing your date of birth or address
- Share only the minimum information needed for verification (thanks to features like selective disclosure)
- Avoid oversharing and reduce the risk of personal data being stored or misused by third parties
Convenient and Portable
- Store your credentials on your phone and access them anytime, anywhere
- Share credentials with a tap or scan — whether online, in-person, or wallet-to-wallet
- No need to carry physical documents or remember multiple login credentials
Reusable and Trusted
- Reuse verified identity credentials across multiple services within the same ecosystem
- Skip repetitive ID checks when signing up for new platforms
- Build trust with verifiers instantly using cryptographically signed credentials
Verifiable Credential Example Flow
To make this more tangible, here’s how Verifiable Credentials work in a real-world scenario.
In this example, a user completes a standard identity verification (KYC) check with an IDV provider. Instead of that data being dormant in a database, the IDV issues a tamper-proof credential that the user stores in their digital wallet. The credential can then be reused to access other services — without repeating the verification process. This reduces friction, improves accuracy, and makes onboarding seamless across trusted systems.
- User completes identity verification (KYC)
- The user goes through a standard ID verification process (e.g. scanning passport, liveness check).
- This step is identical to how identity verification works today.
- User consents to receive credentials
- The user accepts the invitation and scans a QR code to begin the credential issuance process.
- Biometric check binds the credential to the user
- Before receiving the credential, the user must pass a biometric check (e.g. fingerprint or facial scan).
- This ensures that only the rightful owner can use the credential later.
- Credential is issued to the user’s digital wallet
- The IDV issues a Verifiable Credential (e.g. proof of verified identity, credit score, or address).
- The credential is stored securely in the user’s wallet app on their device or in a cloud wallet, with full user control.
- User uses credential for seamless onboarding
- The user accesses a new service (e.g. applying for a loan).
- Instead of repeating KYC, the user shares their credential from their wallet.
- A biometric check confirms the user’s identity before the credential is presented.
- Form is pre-filled with verified data
- The verified credential data is used to automatically populate the application form.
- No need for manual entry, document uploads, or repeat checks.
- Credential is verified instantly
- The verifier (e.g. bank or service provider) checks the credential’s cryptographic signature using the issuer’s public key on the blockchain.
- If valid, the user is instantly approved — no delays, no form friction.
- Credentials can be reused across ecosystem partners
- The user can reuse their verified credential with other services in the same ecosystem (e.g. insurance, car rentals, apartment applications).
- This enables a frictionless, reusable ID experience.
World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Verifiable Credential Standards
Dock Labs' Verifiable Credentials follow the Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.0 standards established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international organization that sets standards for the World Wide Web.
It was created by the inventor of the Web, Tim Berners-Lee, to ensure that the Web remains an open and interoperable system that can be used by anyone, regardless of the technology they use or the language they speak.
W3C develops and maintains technical standards for web technologies. Some of the common web standards the organization created include HTML (the standard markup language used to create web pages) and CSS (a language used to describe the presentation of web pages).
The Importance of W3C Standards
By establishing these standards, the W3C helps to ensure that different web browsers and devices can display web pages in the same way. They also ensure that web developers can create websites that work well across different platforms and build them faster and cheaper.
Without these standards, different web browsers and devices might display web pages differently, making it difficult for people to use the Web. For example, if one browser interpreted colors and font-sizes differently from another, websites would look different on each browser. Some of them may be unreadable which would make the web frustrating and difficult to use.
Also, web developers would have to write different code for each browser, which would be a tedious and time-consuming task. They would also need to test their website on a variety of browsers and devices, which can be very costly in terms of time and money.
The Importance of Interoperability for W3C Verifiable Credentials
Interoperability ensures that Verifiable Credentials can be issued, stored, and verified across different systems — regardless of who built them. When everyone uses the same open standards, credentials become portable and trusted beyond the system they were issued in.
A helpful way to think about it: Verifiable Credentials are like passports. Countries around the world follow shared standards for passports, so when someone arrives at the border, officials know how to read and validate it. The same principle applies to digital credentials — if everyone follows the same format (like the W3C Verifiable Credentials standard), verifiers can instantly recognize and trust what they receive.
Without interoperability, credentials issued by one organization might not work in another system — blocking reuse and increasing friction. With interoperability, organizations can collaborate in ecosystems, reduce duplicated effort, and deliver smoother experiences for users.
Dock Labs' Partners Using Verifiable Credentials
Dock Labs is working with organizations to provide technological solutions to issue Verifiable Credentials.
Identity Fusion (IAM) Bringing legacy Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems into the future, Identity Fusion uses Dock Labs' technology to issue portable, verifiable credentials that reduce redundant onboarding and enable secure access across siloed systems — especially valuable in complex enterprise environments.
Youverse (Biometric Authentication) Youverse uses Dock Labs to tie biometric verification to verifiable credentials in a privacy-preserving way. This allows users to prove they are the rightful holder of a credential without revealing their biometric data — supporting secure, user-controlled authentication flows.
Daon (ID Verification) Daon integrates Dock Labs' decentralized identity tech to make identity data reusable across services. After verifying an individual, Daon issues them a portable credential that can be reused — helping streamline KYC processes and reduce friction for both businesses and users.
Socure (AI-Powered Identity Verification) Socure combines its powerful analytics with Dock Labs' decentralized ID tech to create reusable, secure digital IDs. The result: lower onboarding friction, more accurate identity matching, and improved fraud protection — without compromising privacy.
Port of Bridgetown (Supply Chain / Maritime) The Port of Bridgetown in Barbados uses Dock Labs' verifiable credentials to issue digital Certificates of Clearance for vessels. This reduces manual paperwork and accelerates ship processing, while ensuring tamper-proof clearance records are instantly verifiable by port authorities.
Gravity Training (Workforce Credentials) Gravity Training trains workers in high-risk industries like rigging and fall arrest, and now uses Dock Labs to issue tamper-proof, verifiable training credentials. This helps prevent fake certificates, reduces manual effort in managing records, and allows workers to carry proof of training on their phones. Inspectors and managers can instantly verify the credentials and track expiration dates — making workplaces safer and more compliant.
What is a Verifiable Credentials Wallet?
A verifiable credentials wallet is a digital application designed to securely store, manage, and share verifiable credentials—tamper-proof digital documents that contain verified identity data. These wallets empower users with full control over their personal information, enabling them to present credentials for verification while maintaining privacy and security.Unlike traditional identity management systems that rely on centralized authorities, verifiable credentials wallets operate on decentralized principles, allowing individuals to manage their identities without intermediaries.
Dock Labs offers a robust digital ID wallet solution through its Truvera platform. Truvera provides a flexible and secure environment for managing verifiable credentials, with several deployment options to suit different organizational needs:
- Mobile Wallet SDK: A React Native SDK that allows organizations to embed wallet functionalities into their existing applications. This modular SDK supports secure, local data storage, ensuring users retain full control over their credentials while complying with data protection standards.
- Cloud Wallet: For those preferring centralized storage, Truvera offers a cloud-based wallet providing encrypted storage of credentials. Users can access their digital IDs anytime, anywhere, making it ideal for organizations requiring scalable credential management solutions.
- White-Label Wallet: Organizations seeking a fully branded experience can utilize Truvera's white-label wallet solution. This standalone digital ID wallet app can be customized to align with a company's brand identity, offering a secure and user-friendly platform for customers to manage and share their credentials.
By leveraging Dock Labs' digital ID wallet solutions, organizations can enhance security, streamline verification processes, and provide users with greater control over their personal data.
Verifiable Credential Resources for Developers
Organizations that want to integrate Verifiable Credentials in their systems can refer to these links for more details:
Conclusion: The Future of Identity Is Verifiable
Verifiable Credentials are transforming the way we prove who we are — shifting control from centralized databases to individuals, and replacing fragmented verification processes with fast, secure, and reusable digital credentials.
For organizations, this means fewer data silos, more accurate identity matching, and a dramatic reduction in verification friction. For individuals, it means privacy, portability, and the freedom to reuse trusted credentials across services.
Whether you're a bank looking to streamline onboarding, an IAM system unifying siloed logins, or an IDV provider building the future of reusable identity — Verifiable Credentials offer a standards-based foundation to build on.
With real-world partners already using Dock Labs' technology across finance, healthcare, IAM, and beyond, the shift to decentralized identity is no longer a theory — it’s happening.
If you're ready to explore how Verifiable Credentials can work for your organization, get in touch or try Dock's platform today.
Learn More
- Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)
- Blockchain Identity Management
- Decentralized Identity
- Self-Sovereign Identity
About Dock Labs
Dock Labs is a leader in decentralized identity solutions, empowering businesses to launch ID ecosystems where their partners can create, share, and monetize verifiable digital credentials. By creating an ID ecosystem, companies accelerate customer onboarding, boost transaction speeds, and enhance overall business efficiency. Dock Labs offers a complete solution with a robust API, an intuitive web app, and secure ID wallet infrastructure, delivering everything needed for decentralized identity management.
