Polygon, a blockchain company that specializes in scaling systems for Ethereum, has launched a new zero-knowledge (ZK) technology-based identification tool called Polygon ID.
The company has created the tool to help users verify their identities and credentials without revealing sensitive information.
Zero-knowledge technology is a form of cryptography that eliminates the need for users to provide personal information routinely to different online applications or websites. This development has been seen as a significant use case for blockchains for quite some time.
Polygon ID’s design ensures that identity holders have claims stored in their wallets, while verifiable credentials are cryptographically signed and issued to them by trusted and reputable parties. The claims are then checked by a verifier, who confirms the proof presented by the holder.
This new toolset can also be used to help developers unlock features such as an enhanced sign-up user interface, assist in regulatory compliance, help verify user identities, and restrict access control to specific areas or features through token-gating.
Polygon co-founder David Schwartz said, “Providing identity in a way that the average consumer can use is the holy grail of digital ID adoption. No other identity solution has been able to provide the scalability needed for mainstream adoption leveraging ZK technology until now.”
The new Polygon ID toolset can be used to help various entities verify individuals’ identities or credentials without ever having to reveal personal information. For example, a bar owner could theoretically use the system to verify a patron’s age without having to look at their ID card.
Proofs can be carried out either off-chain or on-chain through smart contracts. Polygon has also developed a Polygon ID wallet app and software development kit (SDK) for developers to use.
