Overview
Blocktrust Identity Wallet is an early-stage identity wallet for Cardano: a browser add-on that lets you hold and use digital proofs of who you are, instead of crypto. Think of it as a way to keep a digital ID card or qualification on your computer, and present it on websites without setting up a new username and password every time1.
The wallet is built by Blocktrust, a Germany-based team focused on self-sovereign identity on Cardano. It works as a browser add-on for Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave) and is still in an experimental "alpha" stage, best for developers and identity researchers. Funding has come from Cardano's grant programme, Project Catalyst, through multiple funding rounds2.
Key Features
- Hold a digital identifier on Cardano. Create a personal identifier (called a DID) and use it to prove control of credentials, all anchored to Cardano for a tamper-evident history1.
- Hold verifiable credentials. Receive, store, and present digital credentials (like proof of professional qualification or membership) issued by anyone using the same Cardano-based identity system1.
- Sign into websites with your identity. Compatible sites can let you log in by signing with your identity keys, replacing usernames and passwords entirely1.
- Send encrypted identity messages. Built-in support for sending and receiving encrypted messages tied to digital identities, useful for credential exchange between organisations.
- Open source. The wallet is built using Microsoft's web technology (Blazor) and the full code is on GitHub for anyone to inspect3.
What to Expect
Blocktrust Identity Wallet installs as a browser add-on for Chrome, Edge, or Brave, currently through developer-mode sideloading or the Chrome Web Store's alpha release channel. After installing, you create your digital identifier, which gets anchored to Cardano. From there, you can receive credentials from issuers, present them to verifiers, and sign into supported websites using identity-based authentication instead of passwords.
For a more production-ready Cardano identity wallet, the Cardano Foundation's Veridian is the active reference implementation. Blocktrust remains an interesting alternative for developers who want to inspect a different approach to the same problem.
