🌐 Digital Credentials API: Pioneering a Privacy-First Web Identity Future

The W3C Federated Identity Working Group has reached a significant milestone in its mission to empower users with secure and privacy-respecting identity tools on the web. With the First Public Working Draft of the Digital Credentials API now officially published, the internet is one step closer to a future where verifiable credentials can be exchanged seamlessly and safely between users and websites.



🧩 What Are Digital Credentials?

Digital credentials are digitally verifiable pieces of information—like a student ID, driver’s license, or bank-issued credential—that can be carried in digital wallets. These credentials are issued by trusted authorities (e.g., universities, government agencies, financial institutions) and can be presented when requested by websites, apps, or services.

Unlike traditional username-password logins or centralized identity systems, digital credentials prioritize user control, interoperability, and privacy.

💡 The Role of the Digital Credentials API

The Digital Credentials API allows websites to request specific credentials from users. In turn, users—via their browser or device—can review what’s being asked, choose whether to share it, and seamlessly provide their verifiable credentials.

This process involves:

  • Credential Request: A site asks for specific types of credentials.

  • User Review: The browser presents the request clearly to the user.

  • Credential Selection: The user picks one or more relevant credentials from their digital wallet.

  • Consent and Sharing: The user consents, and the browser transmits the credential(s) securely.

  • Optional Issuance: If applicable, users can obtain new credentials from issuers like universities, banks, or government bodies.

The API is designed with user agency and transparency in mind—making sure users understand and control what they share.

🧭 Why Browsers Matter

Browsers play a pivotal role in enabling this experience. Acting as a user agent, the browser ensures:

  • A clear, trustworthy interface for understanding credential requests.

  • Safe interaction with digital wallets across devices and platforms.

  • Standardized behavior regardless of the underlying credential issuer.

This standardization is crucial for scaling verifiable credentials across the open web without proprietary lock-in or fragmented ecosystems.

🚀 Early Implementations by Google and Apple

Following years of incubation and community input, early implementations of the API are already being tested by Google and Apple. These prototypes offer real-world demonstrations and experimental integrations, allowing developers and users to:

  • Explore demo use cases

  • Test how credentials are requested and shared

  • Identify UX and technical improvements

  • Provide feedback that shapes the evolving standard

These early trials are instrumental in refining the API before it reaches Recommendation status in the W3C process.

🔐 Privacy by Design

A cornerstone of the Digital Credentials initiative is privacy. The specification encourages:

  • Minimal disclosure: Share only what’s necessary.

  • User consent: Nothing is shared without explicit permission.

  • Decentralized control: Users hold their credentials independently, not in centralized databases.

This aligns closely with emerging global standards on digital identity and data protection, including GDPR and other privacy frameworks.

🔍 Learn More

The W3C’s announcement marks a significant step forward for digital identity on the web. For deeper insights, see their official blog post: 

The Federated Identity Working Group has published a First Public Working Draft of Digital Credentials. This API enables websites to request credentials, and for users to consent to return credentials that they carry around in digital wallets. The user agent (typically a browser) plays a critical role in empowering people to exchange verifiable information seamlessly on the web. The user experience of understanding what is being requested by a site, selecting from among relevant credentials, consenting to share the credentials, and getting new credentials from issuers (e.g., universities, the department of motor vehicles, a bank) must be excellent, and the browser is uniquely positioned to support that experience. 

Following extensive incubation, early implementations of the Digital Credentials API are now available from Google and Apple. People can view demos and conduct experiments, and the experimentation will inform the evolution of this specification. 

For more information, see the blog post: W3C Digital Credentials API publication: the next step to privacy-preserving identities on the web.

✨ Final Thoughts

The publication of the First Public Working Draft of the Digital Credentials API is more than just a technical update—it’s a vision for a more user-centric, secure, and privacy-first web. As experimentation grows and implementation expands, this API may soon become a foundational piece of how identity works online.

Whether you're a developer, policymaker, or digital citizen, it's time to pay attention to how digital credentials will shape the future of trust and identity on the web.

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