• a NIST blog Standards in the VDC Ecosystem In our first blog post in this series, we highlighted that VDCs can represent a wide range of credentials, from a driver’s license to a diploma to proof of age. • The ability to use VDCs in a wide variety of use cases is a major reason why many are looking at the VDC ecosystem as technology that can change how we present identity and attributes (both in person and online). • While credential variety is a good thing, interoperability requires a common set of standards and protocols for issuing, using, and verifying VDCs. • The next few posts in this series will focus on the array of standards that promise to make that interoperability a reality and help the reader understand which standard may best fit individual use cases. • This post will cover the different credential formats, while future posts will go into more detail on other elements of the ecosystem. • This blog post is #2 in our series on Verifiable Digital Credentials (VDCs) and assumes that readers have a basic understanding of VDC concepts, which we discuss in our previous post.
Article Summaries:
- NIST’s second blog in its Verifiable Digital Credentials (VDC) series explains how interoperability in the VDC ecosystem hinges on common standards. The post focuses on two key credential formats: ISO/IEC 18013‑5, which underpins mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and related mobile documents, and the W3C Verifiable Credential (VC) data model, designed for a broader range of digital credentials. It outlines how each format defines data structure, packaging, and transfer methods-ISO mDLs emphasize NFC, Bluetooth, and web‑based transfer for in‑person use, while the W3C VC model supports flexible, web‑centric sharing. The series aims to guide developers and implementers on selecting appropriate standards for specific use cases.
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