Verifiable Presentation

A Verifiable Presentation (VP) is a cryptographically secured package of one or more Verifiable Credentials issued to a holder, which is presented to a verifier to prove specific claims. It is a core data structure in the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model and enables selective disclosure, where the holder can choose which credentials and which specific attributes within them to reveal. The presentation itself is signed by the holder, providing cryptographic proof of its origin and integrity, ensuring the data has not been altered since it was issued or presented.

The primary purpose of a Verifiable Presentation is to facilitate trust in a decentralized manner. Instead of relying on a central database, a verifier can trust the claims because they are cryptographically linked to the issuer's Decentralized Identifier (DID) and the holder's proof. Common use cases include proving age without revealing a full birth date, demonstrating professional qualifications for employment, or providing KYC information to a financial service. The presentation acts as a secure, portable container for credentials, separate from the issuing authority.

Technically, a VP is a JSON-LD or JWT-formatted object containing metadata, the presented credentials (or proofs of their possession), and the holder's digital signature. It includes a proof section that specifies the cryptographic suite used (e.g., Ed25519Signature2020) and links to the holder's public key. This allows the verifier to check the signature against the holder's DID Document, confirming the presentation was genuinely created by the claimed holder and that the contained credentials are valid and unrevoked.

A key innovation of Verifiable Presentations is Selective Disclosure. Using techniques like BBS+ signatures or zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), a holder can prove a statement derived from a credential (e.g., "I am over 21") without revealing the underlying credential data (the exact birth date) or other unrelated attributes. This enhances privacy and minimizes data exposure, adhering to the principle of data minimization. The presentation can also include credentials from multiple, unrelated issuers, aggregated into a single, verifiable package.

In the broader architecture of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), the Verifiable Presentation is the final step in the credential lifecycle—issuance, holding, and presentation. It enables peer-to-peer, cryptographically verifiable interactions without intermediaries. When a verifier receives a VP, their system performs several checks: verifying the holder's signature, checking each credential's issuer signature and status (e.g., against a revocation registry), and ensuring the credentials satisfy the requested policy. This creates a robust, interoperable framework for trusted digital interactions across the web.

A Verifiable Presentation is a cryptographically secure package, typically in JSON-LD or JWT format, that a holder (user) presents to a verifier (relying party) to prove certain claims about themselves. It works by combining one or more Verifiable Credentials (VCs) with a proof of control, demonstrating the holder possesses the associated Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs). The core mechanism involves the holder creating a presentation object, selectively disclosing credentials, and signing the entire package with their private key, which corresponds to the public key listed in their DID document.

The workflow follows a specific sequence: first, an issuer (like a government or university) creates and signs a Verifiable Credential for the holder. When needed, the holder retrieves these VCs from their digital wallet. To create a VP, the holder constructs a new data structure that includes the relevant VCs (or selective, zero-knowledge proofs derived from them), a specification of the presentation's purpose (the challenge), and a cryptographic signature. This signature is the critical element that proves the presenter is the legitimate subject of the credentials and is acting in this specific interaction.

Upon receiving the VP, the verifier performs a multi-step verification process. This includes: (1) checking the VP's cryptographic signature against the holder's DID document, (2) verifying the signatures on each embedded VC against the respective issuer's DID document, (3) validating that all credentials are unexpired and not revoked (often by checking a status registry or revocation list), and (4) ensuring the credentials satisfy the requested policy. Only if all checks pass is the presentation considered valid and the claims accepted.

Advanced presentations can use zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) and selective disclosure to enhance privacy. Instead of presenting an entire credential, a holder can generate a cryptographic proof that they possess a credential meeting specific criteria (e.g., "is over 21") without revealing the credential's full contents or its unique identifier. This is often implemented using BBS+ signatures or similar ZKP schemes, allowing for minimal and targeted data sharing, which is a foundational principle of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI).

In practice, this process is orchestrated by protocols like OpenID for Verifiable Credentials (OIDC4VC) or W3C Verifiable Credentials API, which standardize the message flows between wallets and verifiers. For example, a verifier might send a Presentation Request specifying required credential types and fields. The user's wallet then complies, creates the signed VP, and returns it, enabling seamless yet secure interactions for scenarios like age verification, professional licensing checks, or access to gated services without relying on a central authority.

A Verifiable Presentation (VP) is a cryptographically secure data structure, defined by the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model, that allows a holder (e.g., a user) to present one or more Verifiable Credentials (VCs) to a verifier. It serves as a tamper-evident container, providing proof of the holder's control over the presented credentials and, optionally, proof of the holder's identity. The presentation itself is digitally signed, typically using a Decentralized Identifier (DID) and associated cryptographic keys, ensuring the data's integrity and origin.

The core components of a Verifiable Presentation include the @context and type fields for semantic definition, a verifiableCredential array containing the actual credentials (which may be embedded or referenced by URL), and a proof section containing the cryptographic signature. A key function of the VP is selective disclosure, where the holder can choose to reveal only specific claims from a credential or prove statements about the data (e.g., proving one is over 21 without revealing their exact birthdate) using techniques like zero-knowledge proofs or BBS+ signatures.

Verifiable Presentations are fundamental to user-centric identity and privacy-preserving interactions. They enable scenarios like logging into a website with a credential from a government issuer, proving professional accreditation for a job application, or verifying age for a purchase—all without relying on a central authority. The verifier can cryptographically validate the signatures on both the presentation and the enclosed credentials, establishing trust in the data's authenticity without needing to contact the original issuer for each transaction.