The SSI Orbit Podcast – Self-Sovereign Identity, Decentralization and Digital Trust

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