- Polygon has launched a zero-knowledge decentralized identity solution named Polygon ID to the public.
- The Polygon ID toolset provides four new tools to Polygon developers to integrate decentralized identity into their applications.
- Multiple projects, including Collab.Land, The Sandbox, and Guild.xyz, have already committed to integrating Polygon ID upon launch.
Polygon, a layer-2 scaling protocol for Ethereum, has recently launched a new identity verification tool called Polygon ID, based on zero-knowledge technology (ZK). This tool allows users to verify their identities and credentials without revealing sensitive information. Polygon ID is the first-ever ZK-based digital ID tool that enables users to hold their credentials on handheld devices like smartphones, which means that users will no longer need to remember passwords.
According to Polygon, their new toolset, Polygon ID, can be used by developers to unlock features. These include an enhanced signup user interface, assistance in regulatory compliance, helping verify user identities, and restricting access control to certain areas or features via token-gating. The tool was built to “solve the issue of digital trust,” Polygon stated.
How Does Polygon ID Work?
The service uses cryptographic techniques to allow users to verify their identity online without having their sensitive information passed or potentially stored with a third party. Zero-knowledge technology is a type of cryptography that has been tipped as one of the hottest trends this year for the digital asset industry. It promises to eliminate the need for individuals to provide personal information to various websites or online applications routinely.
Polygon ID enables users to produce zero-knowledge proofs using off-chain credentials, such as their passport, national ID, or bachelor’s degree, to interact with smart contracts and verify information on-chain. This means that off-chain data can now be used in the widely-supported Verified Credential format for trustless on-chain verifications.
In a tweet, Polygon’s co-founder, David Schwartz, said that the product was built “on the latest decentralized identity standards,” which will help protect developers and users against unauthorized access from third parties. “Providing identity in a way that the average consumer can use is the holy grail of digital ID adoption,” he explained in a separate press statement.
The Polygon ID Toolset and Developer Support
The public release of Polygon ID introduces four new tools to the Polygon ID toolset — Verifier SDK, Issuer Node, Wallet SDK, and Wallet App. These tools will enable Polygon developers to integrate decentralized identity into their applications, which will help protect developers and users against unauthorized access from third parties.
Polygon ID’s design consists of a person or entity known as the “identity holder” with “claims” stored in a wallet. Verifiable credentials are cryptographically signed and issued to the identity holders by an issuer who is a “trusted and reputable party.” Then a verifier checks the proof presented by a holder.
Multiple projects have already committed to integrating Polygon ID upon launch, such as Web3 infrastructure provider Kaleido, ID verification solution Fractal, and Web3 community management system Collab.Land. They have a user base of over 4 million, according to Polygon. Other Web3 projects, such as the metaverse platform The Sandbox and blockchain builder community Guild.xyz, are also integrating Polygon ID.
The co-founder of Polygon ID, David Schwartz, explained that “no other identity solution has been able to provide the scalability needed for mainstream adoption leveraging ZK technology until now.” He added that Polygon ID was built to provide identity in a way that the average consumer can use, which is the holy grail of digital ID adoption.
