What is Verifiable credential?
Also called: VC · Digital credential · Verifiable certificateDefinition
A verifiable credential is a digital record of a qualification, achievement or attribute that a third party can check without contacting the issuer by phone or email. It states who issued it, who holds it, what it certifies and when, and includes a means of verification, either a cryptographic signature or a link to the issuer’s hosted record. The W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model is the main web standard for the signed form, and Open Badges 3.0 is built on it.
The model has three roles: the issuer (a training provider, university or employer), the holder (the learner) and the verifier (a recruiter, client or auditor). In the W3C model the issuer signs the credential with a private key, the holder keeps it in a digital wallet, and the verifier checks the signature against the issuer’s public key and checks that it has not been revoked. Simpler hosted verification uses a unique URL on the issuer’s site that confirms the credential details.
For corporate L&D and hiring, verifiable credentials address a real problem: PDF certificates are easy to edit, and checking them manually is slow. A verifiable credential lets a recruiter confirm the details in seconds and lets an employee carry proof of skills between employers. Bodhih credentials are verifiable by link and issued as Open Badge 2.0.
Common mistakes: equating “verifiable” with “valuable” (verification proves who issued it, not that the assessment was rigorous); issuing credentials that state attendance rather than an assessed outcome; and offering no revocation or expiry.
Key points
- Three roles: issuer, holder and verifier.
- Verified by cryptographic signature or by a link to the issuer’s record.
- W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model is the main web standard for signed credentials.
- Open Badges 3.0 is built on the W3C model.
- Verification proves origin and integrity, not the quality of the assessment.
An example at work
An HR team in Bengaluru shortlists a candidate who lists an AI certification. Instead of emailing the provider, the recruiter opens the credential link on the CV, which shows the issuer, the holder’s name, the date and what was assessed.
Where this is used at Bodhih
Related terms
Open Badges
Open Badges is a 1EdTech standard for digital credentials that carry verifiable information about the issuer, the achievement, the criteria and the earner.
Proctored exam
A proctored exam is an assessment taken under supervision, in person or online, so the result can be trusted as the candidate’s own unaided work.
Competency assessment
Competency assessment is the process of measuring a person’s proficiency against defined competencies, using evidence from tests, tasks, observation or work samples.
Pre and post assessment
Pre and post assessment is measuring the same skills before and after training, using equivalent instruments, to show how much learners changed.
More about Verifiable credential
How do I verify a digital certificate?
Open the verification link or QR code on the certificate and check that it leads to the issuer’s own domain, that the name, date and achievement match, and that it is not marked expired or revoked. For signed credentials, a wallet or verifier app checks the signature automatically.
Is an Open Badge a verifiable credential?
An Open Badge is verifiable: Open Badges 2.0 can be checked against a hosted record or a signature. Open Badges 3.0 goes further and is formally built on the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model, so it works with wallets and verifiers that support that standard.