A look into the promise of privacy-preserving verifiable credentials for individuals, institutions, and machines. In an era where you can fund art through Patreon and bills through GoFundMe, pay rent on Venmo, and use your Facebook login to access work applications, why is the driver’s license still a piece of physical plastic? Why is the passport still a book, the diploma still a piece of paper? Because they’re too important. IDs, diplomas, social security numbers and the like are considered verifiable credentials. They are managed by a central authority such as the DMV or a university. Most ensure the basic rights of citizenship. …