Update
Ontology’s Decentralized Identity Architecture Explained
Ontology has been running a decentralized identity model on a public chain since 2018. By the end of 2026, every EU member state must provide a digital identity wallet to its citizens. This article explains the roles of issuer, holder, and verifier in the architecture, and how identifiers, keys, and credential statuses are stored on the public chain. The article also discusses the benefits of having identity and data on the same layer, and the reasons for using a public chain, including portability, survival, and privacy for the holder.