Soberana: The path towards a universal identity wallet

Chuy Cepeda
May 4, 2023
3 min read

The vision of OS City is to make decentralized digital identity accessible to everyone. We are convinced that this technology will be the cornerstone for building a world with less bureaucracy, safer digital environments, and a new online marketplace that provides better income for everyone, not just individuals but also for governments and their ability to provide services.

To achieve this, it is necessary to think about how the digital wallet, or simply the wallet, should be designed so that people, businesses, and governments can adopt it on a massive scale.

In the best cases, we have seen international standards, European initiatives such as EBSI, eSSIF or eIDAS, the Open Wallet Foundation, the World Economic Forum, venture capital investors, and even some content creators pointing towards what would mean creating a universal identity wallet.

At OS City, we took on the task of navigating through a sea of "official" and "unofficial" wallets, as well as all those who have made proposals for what would be the best definition of sovereignty, identity, and decentralization in a single wallet.

If you prefer, you may want to contextualize yourself with some concepts of an identity system. But this is what we found

5 elements for a universal identity wallet

Interoperability specification of the wallet: the wallet works seamlessly with different blockchains and decentralized applications. This means that you can easily manage your digital assets and interact with different services, all from one place.

Some key aspects in the design include:

It supports multiple DID methods.
It supports multiple verifiable credentials.
It supports multiple currencies and blockchains.

Security and privacy specification of the wallet: security and privacy are the priorities. The wallet uses encryption and authentication methods to ensure that your personal information and digital assets are safe and protected.

Some key aspects in the design include:

It uses secure encryption for all sensitive data.
It implements PETs (privacy-enhancing technologies).
It implements mechanisms for secure backup and recovery.

Digital identity and credential management: the wallet facilitates the management of your digital identity and credentials, including multiple decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials from different issuers. This allows you to securely and verifiably present your identity and credentials to whoever you need to without compromising your privacy.

Algunos aspectos claves en el diseño incluyen:

It supports the creation and management of multiple DIDs.
It supports the issuance and management of verifiable credentials.
It implements mechanisms for revocation and renewal of credentials.

User experience and accessibility: the wallet is designed with a user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation, making it easy to use for anyone. It also complies with accessibility guidelines, ensuring that it is easy for all users, regardless of their abilities or technological knowledge.

Some key aspects in the design include:

It provides a clear and concise user interface design.
It supports different languages and cultural preferences.
It follows accessibility guidelines for users with disabilities.

Interoperability with other wallets and applications: the wallet is designed to be highly interoperable, allowing users to easily interact with other wallets and applications in the ecosystem. This means that you can seamlessly transfer assets between wallets and interact with different applications.

Some key aspects in the design include:

It allows importing, recovering, and exporting data in standard formats.
It allows importing, recovering, and exporting identities (DIDs) and credentials.
It allows communicating with other wallets using standard protocols.

Sharing this information serves two purposes. On the one hand, to let you know about our plans for Soberana so that you can regain control of your identity and digital assets, and enjoy a simple and intuitive user experience. But also, our goal is that if you are thinking of developing an identity wallet, you can consider these principles from the start and together we can create a compatible ecosystem that promotes the rise of web3.

Whether you are a technology enthusiast, a digital nomad, or simply someone who values privacy and security, the idea is that Soberana has something for you.