Has the self-sovereign identity (SSI) movement strayed from its original values? Are we witnessing the centralization of digital identity under the guise of decentralization?
In this compelling episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Christopher Allen, a pioneering figure in cryptography, decentralized identity, and internet security. Together, they unpack the troubling trends that suggest SSI ecosystems may be drifting away from foundational principles and towards models that ultimately serve governments and corporations rather than individuals.
Christopher shares his deep industry experience, from co-authoring SSL/TLS, which secures the internet today, to leading the development of decentralized identity standards. He discusses how the early promises of user empowerment in digital identity have been eroded by the realities of commercialization, government control, and the re-centralization of power. He also reflects on lessons from history—how identity systems have been weaponized in past regimes—and warns of similar risks emerging in today’s digital landscape.
If you care about privacy, autonomy, and the future of digital identity, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to hear a thought-provoking discussion on whether SSI is still on the right path—or if it's time to course-correct before it’s too late.
Are you confident in the environmental and social claims about your products?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Steve Capell, Vice Chair of UN/CEFACT and Project Lead of the United Nations Transparency Protocol (UNTP), to explore how transparency and traceability are being revolutionized in global value chains. Together, they unpack the challenges of greenwashing, the urgency of compliance with new regulations, and the transformative potential of a global transparency protocol.
Steve shares real-world examples, such as the impact of carbon border adjustments and digital product passports, highlighting how regulatory frameworks and technological innovation intersect. The conversation also addresses the role of decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials in ensuring the integrity of sustainability claims.
Key Insights:
Tune in to this episode to learn how the UNTP is driving a shift from marketing-led sustainability claims to evidence-backed transparency and why this transformation is critical for regulatory compliance and strategic business differentiation. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of transparent global trade!
Chapters:
Resources
What if there was a way to establish a new trust layer for the internet, enabling secure digital interactions and unlocking valuable transactions that are currently impossible?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Darrell O'Donnell, Executive Director of the Global Acceptance Network (GAN), to explore this ambitious vision.
The GAN aims to create a neutral, non-profit organization that governs digital public infrastructure for exchanging trusted information. Drawing inspiration from payment networks like Visa, GAN seeks to standardize conversations around digital credentials and identity across different ecosystems and industries globally.
Some of the valuable topics discussed include:
Tune in to learn how GAN could transform digital trust and enable new forms of secure, valuable transactions in our increasingly digital world.
Chapters:
00:00 - What is the Global Acceptance Network (GAN)
08:35 - What value does GAN bring to whom?
12:05 - Comparing GAN to VISA and SWIFT
17:39 - Does GAN need to become a consumer brand?
22:49 - Who are GAN Members? What type of relationship will they have with GAN?
27:07 - How does GAN differ from and complement National Digital ID programs?
36:16 - How is GAN managing its own internal governance?
40:19 - What is GAN’s business model?
46:27 - How do Trust Registries fit into GAN?
53:29 - What is next for the GAN?
Are you struggling to design and implement decentralized digital trust ecosystems that actually work?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Ecosystem Architect Antti Kettunen to unpack the challenges of adoption and value creation in decentralized systems.
Antti shares his insights on moving beyond technology-focused conversations and instead building the right incentive models and business value propositions. He explains why simply selling decentralized identity as a technology solution is not enough—ecosystems need to be designed holistically with all stakeholders in mind.
Some of the valuable topics discussed include:
Whether you're in the process of building a decentralized identity solution or embarking on a digital transformation journey for an existing ecosystem, this episode is a goldmine of practical insights. It offers essential guidance on how to create sustainable value for all parties involved.
Tune in to gain actionable knowledge that will empower you to design decentralized ecosystems that drive adoption.
Chapters:
00:00 - Value chains for decentralized ecosystems
08:27 - Are Wallets the new platforms?
14:07 - Are Payments a key enabler for decentralized trust ecosystems
25:25 - Will our identifiers ultimately be controlled by Apple/Google and Government wallets?
31:27 - Frameworks to enable ecosystems for decentralized data exchanges
44:17 - The need for public data layer within ecosystems to build trust and enable trusted interactions
50:57 - Understanding ecosystem member incentives in order to increase success rate
Are you curious about how Germany is navigating the complex landscape of digital identity wallets and interoperability?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with guests Kristina Yasuda and Niels Klomp to explore Germany’s ambitious wallet strategy, the development of interoperability profiles, and the influence of big tech on digital identity.
Kristina and Niels bring a wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience to the discussion, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of digital identity. They delve into Germany’s approach to creating a secure and user-friendly wallet infrastructure, the challenges of achieving interoperability across different systems, and how major technology companies are shaping the digital identity space.
Get ready to uncover:
Join us for an engaging and informative conversation highlighting the complexities and opportunities within the digital identity ecosystem.
Tune in to The SSI Orbit Podcast to stay ahead of the curve and gain valuable insights into the future of digital identity.
Chapters:
How can we establish trusted digital ecosystems while driving innovation?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude picks the brain of Dima Postnikov, Vice Chairman at the OpenID Foundation, on a standards-based solution: OpenID Federation – a framework for enabling trust across networks.
As open banking and open finance initiatives spread, a crucial need arises: secure mechanisms for managing trust between participants. Dima walks us through the genesis of OpenID Federation and its role in overcoming hurdles around trust discovery and governance.
Unpack the keys to unlocking trusted, interoperable ecosystems that safeguard data while catalyzing innovation. Tune in to this insightful conversation now!
Chapters:
00:00 - Background on trust management in the OpenID world
03:49 - Learnings in trust management from the world of Open Banking
11:58 - How trust chains complement/conflict with peer to peer interactions
17:25 - OpenID Federation’s architecture design
34:25 - The evolution of standards in Open Banking
39:50 - eIDAS 2.0 profiles of OpenID Federation?
47:47 - Why Canadian Open Banking should have Trust Registries at launch
Are you curious about how Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) has evolved over the years and where it is headed?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Vladimir Vujovic, Head of Digital Product Management at SICPA to discuss the journey and future of SSI and decentralized identity technologies. Vladimir, with his extensive background in product management and experience in the SSI space since 2017, offers valuable insights into the technological advancements, challenges, and opportunities in this domain.
From the early days of Evernym to the current state of mainstream adoption, Vladimir sheds light on the progress made and the hurdles still to be overcome. How have new credential formats and protocols impacted the industry? What role do government initiatives and large-scale pilots play in the broader adoption of SSI? Vladimir addresses these questions and more, providing a comprehensive overview of the SSI landscape.
Join us as we explore the nuances of product development in the SSI space. Vladimir highlights the technical focus of digital wallet products and the need for companies to move beyond generic solutions to create value-added services tailored to specific industries. Discover the importance of making bold choices and the potential for growth in this evolving market.
Chapters
00:00 - How things have evolved since Evernym’s early days in 2027
8:50 - Have we lost the vision of ‘Self-Sovereignty’ with an overfocus on Government ID?
20:30 - Complexity of exchange interactions in identity vs payments
24:10 - Evolution in thinking around building SSI-enabled products
31:00 - The complexities of issuing credentials vs verifying them
39:10 - How far open source goes and impacts product design
45:25 - Adoption curves, horizontal vs vertical product focus
51:45 - Where the technical SSI space is at today
Could digital credentials like mobile driver's licenses be the game-changer for secure and convenient identity verification?
In this episode of The SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude sits down with Sylvia Arndt, Vice President of Business Development, Digital Identity at Thales, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) and their potential impact.
Mathieu and Sylvia explore the differences between the US, Canadian, and European markets regarding mDL implementation and standards. They also delve into the legislation required to support digital driver's licenses and the role of organizations like AAMVA in providing guidance and recommendations. The conversation touches on the role of wallets in the mDL ecosystem, the potential business models for issuers and verifiers, and the importance of biometrics in identity verification. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities in the verification market and the need for governance and control in the industry.
Chapters
Is there truly a clear separation between personal and organizational identity? This fundamental question lies at the heart of our most recent conversation on The SSI Orbit podcast, where host Mathieu Glaude sat down with identity expert Daniel Hardman.
The conversation explores the learnings and insights Hardman has gained from his extensive experience in the SSI space and the importance of the human element in the identity domain. Mathieu and Daniel discuss the limitations of the term 'governance' and propose reframing it as 'empowerment.' They also delve into organizational identity and its inextricably intertwined relationship with individual identity. The complexity of managing relationships and roles within organizations is highlighted, along with the need for clear distinctions between facets of identity. The conversation also touches on the challenges of managing identifiers and the critical importance of versioning and trust in the context of organizational identity.
Hardman's exploration of the intricate relationship between personal and organizational identity underscores the significance of understanding roles, relationships, and context when managing identities. His compelling perspective challenges the current mental model that compartmentalizes personal and organizational identity, inviting a more nuanced understanding of the true nature of identity.
Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking episode as it uncovers the strategies, tools, and mindsets needed to navigate the complexities of identity management. Unlock the full potential of self-sovereign identity in both personal and enterprise settings as you delve into this intriguing conversation.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Learnings in SSI
02:27 Reframing Governance as Empowerment
07:52 The Intertangled Nature of Organizational and Individual Identity
14:12 Managing Relationships and Roles in Organizational Identity
24:32 Versioning and Trust in Organizational Identity
Empowerment tech is about tools that start and end on the customer side, helping individuals make better decisions and get things done. It aligns the incentives of both individuals and organizations, leading to healthier and more sustainable outcomes. The role of regulators is to define outcomes and ensure compliance, but empowerment tech can change how regulators think about enforcement and create more value for individuals and organizations.
Open banking and open finance are key enablers of empowerment tech, allowing individuals to control and share their data with different financial institutions. The technology behind empowerment tech, such as verifiable credentials and cryptography, is crucial but needs to be complemented by business and legal considerations.
The conversation explores the future of blockchain networks and platforms, the role of wallets and credentials in solving attribution problems, the potential of personal agents, and the value of data in creating AI models. It discusses the commoditization of wallets and identity, the importance of trust and business models, and the dominance of Apple and Google in data services. The conversation also touches on the evolving UI models and the impact of generational expectations. Overall, it highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to design and interaction in the digital identity space.
Chapters:
00:02 Defining Empowerment Tech
02:01 Aligning Incentives Between Customers and Businesses
04:41 The Role of Regulators in Promoting Empowerment Tech
07:57 The Potential of Open Banking and Open Finance
09:39 The Rise of Personal AI Agents
16:21 Wallets, Credentials, and the Future of Digital Interactions
21:50 Platforms, Protocols, and the Economics of Empowerment Tech
28:47 Rethinking User Interfaces and Device-Centric Experiences
35:22 Generational Shifts and the Future of Digital Relationships
41:16 Building Trust Through Design and Ethics
Have you ever questioned the authenticity of online content? In today's digital landscape, it's becoming increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction. Join host Mathieu Glaude as he welcomes Eric Scouten from Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative to discuss solutions for verifying the provenance and integrity of digital media.
In this conversation, you'll learn:
00:00 - Intro to Content Authenticity Initiative, C2PA
09:43 - Content Supply Chains
14:57 - Type of Content Covered under Content Authenticity Initiative
22:00 - How does the C2PA work?
25:40 - User Experience for Content Publishers and Consumers
29:40 - Tracking Content Edits through Actions Assertions
31:30 - Machine, Organization and Human Signatures
39:00 - What does the broader Content Authenticity Ecosystem Look Like?
41:04 - Creator Assertions Working Group, Ongoing Deployments, Metadata Storage, Closing Thoughts
In this episode of the SSI Orbit Podcast, host Mathieu Glaude talks with Dominik Beron, Co-Founder and CEO of walt.id, about the game-changing eIDAS 2 regulation and its impact on decentralized identity across Europe. They explore organizations' growing interest in issuing credentials, the potential challenges facing traditional identity verification companies, and the mixed sentiments surrounding the regulation's timing.
01:29 Significance of EIDAS 2
10:28 Potential Disruption of Identity Verification Companies
13:13 Negative Sentiments towards EIDAS 2
21:19 Alignment in Digital Identity Offerings of Different Nation States
25:36 Role of European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI)
30:33 Value of Digital Credentials on Blockchain Networks
40:00 The Genesis of Open Source Strategy
44:16 Benefits of Building an Open Source Company
48:53 Contributing to Open Source Projects
50:23 The Future of Wallets
55:13 Digital Signatures and Identity Wallets
In this episode, Mathieu Glaude hosts Hakan Yildiz from Accenture and Vladimir Simjanoski from Blokverse to explore the world of digital credential protocols like Aries, OpenID4VC, ISO, and KERI. The discussion provides a comprehensive analysis of these protocols, focusing on their interoperability, privacy, and the future of digital identity. The episode highlights critical issues like combating deepfakes and the Trust Over IP Foundation’s Credential Exchange Protocol task force. Join us for this insightful conversation. 0:22 - 18:48 - Comparing Digital Credential Exchange Protocols: Aries, OpenID, ISO and KERI 18:49 - 26:22 - Profiles, Interoperability, Test Suites 26:23 - 36:15 - Interoperability from the Perspectives of Issuers, Holders and Verifiers 36:17 - 44:10 - Protocol Requirements for Humans, Organisations, and Machines 44:11 - 53:08 - Surveillance and Correlation, Privacy Considerations 53:09 - 58:38 - Deciding Data Sharing: Balancing Autonomy, Regulations, and Governance for Holders 58:39 - 1:02:41 - Combating Deepfakes: Enhancing Content Authenticity with Digital Credentials and Signatures. 1:02:43 1:07:27 - Vision Behind the Trust over IP’s Credential Exchange Protocol Task Force
Markus Sabadello has been a pioneer and leader in the field of digital identity for many years and has contributed to cutting-edge technologies that have emerged in this space.
He is co-editor of the Decentralized Identifiers specification at W3C and co-chair of the Identifiers and Discovery Working Group at the Decentralized Identity Foundation.
Markus is founder of Danube Tech, a consulting and development company that works on DID-related infrastructure and products, including the Universal Resolver, Universal Registrar, and the Godiddy.com platform.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/decentralized-identifiers-strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats
The full list of topics discussed between Markus and Mathieu in this episode include:
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Daniel Bachenheimer is Accenture’s Digital Identity Innovations Technical Lead and has been designing and delivering solutions for various clients for over 30 years. For the past 20 years, Dan has focused on Border Management and Identity Management solutions and has been involved in large-scale Identity systems including US-VISIT and UIDAI, Trusted Traveler Programs, Multimodal Biometric systems integration, RFID implementations, along with Identity, Credential and Access Management solutions. Dan participates in biometrics standards (INCITS, ISO/IEC SC37), blockchain standards (ISO TC307), ID Cards and Wallets (INCITS, ISO/IEC 17, is an IEEE Certified Biometrics Professional, is a Biometrics Institute Director and Privacy Expert Group contributing member, is Co-Chair of INATBA’s Identity Working Group is the Vice Chair of IATA’s Identity Management Working Group, is an ID2020 Technical Advisory Committee contributing member, participates in ToIP, DIACC, WTTC, WEF, and Turing Institute Digital Identity working groups, and has contributed to World Economic Forum and World Bank reports related to Identity.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/the-digital-travel-credential-dtc-with-daniel-bachenheimer
The full list of topics discussed between Daniel and Mathieu in this podcast episode include:
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Both guests co-chair the ‘AI and Metaverse Task Force’ at the Trust over IP Foundation. Wenjing Chu is a senior director of technology strategy at Futurewei. He is a founding Steering Committee member of the Trust over IP Foundation and a founding Board Member of the OpenWallet Foundation. Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay works on Standards, Community and Customer Experience at Dhiway. He is also a Trustee at the Sovrin Foundation and a co-author of the Principles of SSI published and maintained by the Sovrin Foundation.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/digital-trust-in-the-age-of-generative-ai-part-2
The full list of topics discussed between Wenjing, Sankarshan and Mathieu in this podcast episode include,
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Where to find Sankarshan?
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Lance Byrd is a secure organizational identity developer at GLEIF and co-founder of RootsID. He has been working on secure global scale data systems for over 20 years. He is helping to build the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier (vLEI) ecosystem to facilitate trusted interactions between legal entities around the globe. He is the co-chair of the Trust over IP (ToIP) did:webs task force which is an effort to secure did:web and bridge the DID-based ecosystem with the vLEI ecosystem. He participates in many open source and specification efforts with Trust over IP, KERI, Decentralized Identity Foundation, Hyperledger, and W3C. And, has given public talks on SSI, KERI, the vLEI ecosystem, identity wallets, DIDComm, and more.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/secure-organizational-identity-with-lance-byrd
The full list of topics discussed between Lance and Mathieu in this podcast episode include:
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Kumar Gajmer is the Product Manager and the Technical Lead for the Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) Project. He started his career in IT in 2008 as a Software Engineer. After completion of his high school in Bhutan, he did his bachelor's in Information Technology from Anna University, India. Pallavi Sharma leads Marketing and Communications for the Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) Project. As part of the role, she drives media, public relations, and education campaigns to accelerate adoption of the Bhutan NDI digital wallet. She also works in close liaison with national and international stakeholders for enhanced product positioning and visibility.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/bhutan-national-digital-identity-ndi-what-it-takes-for-a-nationwide-launch
The full list of topics discussed between Kumar, Pallavi and Mathieu in this podcast episode include,
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Kate Giovacchini (Arizona State University) and Andrew Johnson (Fluree, PBC) are both working on The Trusted Learner Network (TLN) initiative, a new, secure, and decentralized approach to recording, curating, and sharing learner data on abilities and skills across the learner’s lifespan. Kate Giovacchini is a higher education technology leader who passionately believes in the power of education to change lives and change the world. She has nearly a decade of experience working at Arizona State University where she has spent her time working in the areas of online education technology, business intelligence, ERP delivery, and large initiative execution. Andrew Johnson is a lead software engineer at Fluree, PBC where he leads architecture and implementation for client projects. He's worked on software development solutions for projects that include university student information systems, patent publication records, consumer data ownership, and federal public housing policy.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/how-digital-credentials-are-transforming-learning-data
The full list of topics discussed between Kate, Andrew and Mathieu in this podcast episode include,
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Drummond Reed has spent a quarter-century in Internet identity, security, privacy, and trust infrastructure. He is Director, Trust Services at Gen Digital, previous Avast after their acquisition of Evernym, where he was Chief Trust Office. He is co-author of the book, Self-Sovereign Identity (Manning Publications, 2021), and co-editor of the W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DID) 1.0 specification. At the Trust over IP Foundation, Drummond is a member of the Steering Committee and co-chair of the Governance Stack Working Group and the Concepts and Terminology Working Group.
About Podcast Episode
Read more about the episode by heading to https://northernblock.io/podcasts/trust-spanning-protocol-seven-key-pillars
The full list of topics discussed between Drummond and Mathieu in this podcast episode include:
Where to find Drummond?
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