Verifiable Credentials (VC)

Verifiable Credentials for DPI: IssueOnce, Reuse Everywhere—WithConsent

Transform trusted data into secure, reusable, privacy-preserving digital assets.

Suma Soft leverages deep expertise in consulting and implementing VerifiableCredential (VC) standards and solutions, partnering with governments, regulators,banks, fintechs, and ecosystem leaders to build scalable, interoperable VCframeworks as part of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). A VC is a digitally signeddata packet asserting trustworthy claims about a person, business, or entity—e.g.,“This merchant is KYC-verified,” “This professional holds a valid license,” “This clinicis accredited,” or “This farmer delivered 500 kg of produce.” VCs are issued bytrusted authorities (e.g., banks, ministries, universities), stored in user-controlledwallets or registries, and verified instantly without contacting the issuer, reducingpaperwork, accelerating onboarding, lowering compliance costs, and enablingconsent-driven data sharing across sectors like finance, healthcare, education,mobility, and supply chains.

Why Verifiable Credentials Are Essential for DPI

Interoperability and openness: Built on the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model 2.0, VCs offer a standardized, extensible format for credentials, proofs, and issuer-holder-verifier roles, allowing any compliant wallet or verifier to participate seamlessly. JOSE/COSE security ensures tamper-proof integrity and cryptographic trust.
Policy alignment: The EU’s eIDAS 2.0 and EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet frameworks have set global benchmarks for governance, certification, and cross-border interoperability, influencing regions worldwide to adopt similar standards for robust VC ecosystems.
Developer-friendly integration: Using OpenID for Verifiable Credential Issuance (OID4VCI) and OpenID for Verifiable Presentations (OID4VP), VCs align with familiar OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect patterns, simplifying integration with existing identity and access management (IAM) systems.
Privacy by design: Selective disclosure (e.g., BBS+ signatures) and standardized revocation (e.g., Status List 2021) enable verifiers to access only necessary data, while issuers can suspend or revoke credentials efficiently, enhancing user control and minimizing exposure.

What Suma Soft Provides

Standards, Trust Frameworks, and Governance

Rulebook development

Define VC schemas (e.g., KYC, licenses,certifications, attestations), assurance levels, and data requirements alignedwith sectoral regulations and DPI principles.

Trust registries and accreditation

Establish processes for issueronboarding, audits, and listing; verifier recognition; and dispute resolution,ensuring neutrality and multi-vendor ecosystems.

Privacy and consent frameworks

Implement purpose limitation, consentcapture, revocation flows, and audit trails for privacy-preserving operations.

Status and revocation

Deploy Status List for scalable, privacy-friendlycredential status checks without issuer contact.

Technology Blueprint and Integration

Reference architecture

Build issuer services, wallet SDKs, verifiergateways, schema/trust registries, key management (KMS/HSM), statusservices, and analytics tools.

Standards-based protocols

Support W3C VC Data Model 2.0, JOSE/COSEproofs, OID4VCI issuance, OID4VP presentation, and DID methods forresolver compatibility.

Wallet and verifier integration

Provide SDKs and APIs for VC presentationin apps, portals, POS, or kiosks, with QR or deep-link consent handoffs.

Security and DevOps

Deliver end-to-end environments(dev/test/sandboxes), key rotation, custody, and compliance mappings forKYC/AML and data protection.

Adoption, Ecosystem Enablement, and Certification

Issuer onboarding kits: Offer templates, signing guides, and checklists for ministries, banks, or regulators to issue trusted VCs.
Verifier enablement: Provide verification libraries, no-PII logging, fallback options for stale credentials, and user-friendly UI patterns to reduce support needs.
Certification and conformance: Supply automated test suites for OID4VCI/OID4VP, proof formats, and status checks, plus readiness checklists for operations.

High-Value Use Cases Across Sectors

Financial Services (KYC/KYB): Issue credentials like “KYC-verified customer” or “KYB-verified merchant” for instant reuse by fintechs, lenders, or PSPs, cutting onboarding from days to minutes.
Licensing and Permits: Create verifiable professional licenses, trade permits, or certifications for seamless checks at inspections or checkpoints.
Education and Skills: Issue diplomas, transcripts, or workforce badges verifiable by employers or platforms without issuer contact.
Healthcare and Welfare: Provide clinic accreditations, immunization proofs, or eligibility credentials, protecting sensitive data during verification.
Supply Chains and Agriculture: Issue delivery or quality certifications to support financing, trade, or compliance checks.
Travel and Mobility: Enable driver, vehicle, or event access credentials with low-friction verification.
Public Procurement: Issue vendor prequalification credentials to streamline RFP processes across agencies.

How It Works

Issuance

An issuer creates a credential (JSON/JSON-LD per W3C VC 2.0),signs it (JOSE/COSE), and delivers it to the holder’s wallet via OID4VCI.

Storage and Consent

The holder stores the VC in a mobile or cloud wallet,controlling sharing with consent. Selective disclosure limits data shared.

Presentation

A verifier requests a VC; the wallet generates a VerifiablePresentation (VP) via OID4VP, which the verifier validates for signature,issuer trust, and status.

Decision:

The verifier approves actions (e.g., onboarding, access) withoutissuer contact—faster, private, and efficient.

Change Management

Versioned schemas with compatibility timelines.

DPI Principles Embedded

Interoperability: Standards (W3C VC 2.0, OID4VCI/OID4VP) ensure issuers, wallets, and verifiers work across vendors.
Openness: Public schemas, registries, and trust lists foster competition and reduce lock-in.
Consent and Privacy: Holders control data; selective disclosure and Status List minimize exposure.
Governance: Clear frameworks, accreditation, and certifications ensure trust and scalability, aligning with eIDAS/EUDI trends.

Implementation Roadmap

Phase 1

Strategy and Blueprint

Map stakeholders (issuers, verifiers, wallets, auditors).
Define credential schemas, assurance levels, expiry, and status policies.
Draft trust frameworks: issuer onboarding, audits, revocation, disputes, DPI- aligned privacy.
Select architecture: hosted/hybrid, DID methods, KMS, wallet types.

Phase 2

Build and Integrate

Deploy issuer, status, trust/schema registries, and verifier gateways.
Implement OID4VCI/OID4VP endpoints and JOSE/COSE proofs.
Release SDKs, test suites, and sample apps for wallets/verifiers.

Phase 3

Pilot and Certify

Pilot high-priority credentials (e.g., KYC, licenses, attestations).
Test protocol, proof, and status conformance; validate consent UX.
Train verifiers; launch dashboards for issuance, presentation, and status metrics.

Phase 4

Scale and Optimize

Expand issuers/verifiers; finalize trust lists.
Enable cross-sector (finance, health, mobility) and cross-border flows.
Iterate rulebooks; automate audits and metrics.

Technical Architecture (Overview)

Issuer Service

Wallet SDK

Verifier Gateway

Registries

Security and Ops