Context

Verifiable Credentials (VC) and Verifiable Presentations (VP) play a major role within the EBSI ecosystem. They present the standard to which all digital documents conform to improve the efficiency, interoperability, and readability of all documents/certificates. EBSI VC/VP data models build upon the W3C Verifiable Credentials, which defines the standard way to present credentials/certificates on the internet in a common digital way. This page is the starting point for all VC and VP-related information in the EBSI Verifiable Credentials Playbook.

Data Models and Schemas

Since Verifiable Credentials can represent many different certificates and be used for several use cases, several data models were defined by EBSI and ESSIF (European Self-Sovereign Identity Framework), and many more will be defined by new use cases in the future. A complete list of data models and schemas can be found here.

Verifiable Credentials and Verifiable Presentations are usually in the form of JWT (JSON Web Token) and JSON-LD (JSON Linked Data). The format depends on the use case requirements and the need for different signature types. Learn more about VC/VP formats, proof formats, and instructions for the signing and verification steps here.

Schemas for data models are managed in the Trusted Schema Registry (TSR). Check the APIs section for more information.

VC and VP Lifecycle

EBSI's VC and VP lifecycle is summarized in the table below. The table also presents differences between EBSI's VC and VP lifecycle and W3C's VC and VP lifecycle.

Step	EBSI's VC and VP lifecycle	W3C's VC and VP lifecycle	Guidelines for EBSI
1	Registration and onboarding of different actors (Legal Entity as Trusted Issuer or Verifier, Natural Person as Holder).	Out of scope.	Onboarding and accrediting Legal Entities
2	Credential Issuance for Issuers and Holders Storage of Verifiable Credentials for Holders	Issuance of one or more Verifiable Credentials. Storage of Verifiable Credentials in a credential repository, e.g., digital wallet.	Verifiable Credential issuance guidelines and Wallet Conformance Testing
3	Presentation Exchange for Holders and Verifiers	Composition of Verifiable Credentials into Verifiable Presentation. Exchange of Verifiable Presentation and its verification by the Verifier.	Verifiable Presentation exchange guidelines
4	Managing schemas of data models in TSR	Out of scope.	Data Models and Schemas TSR API

APIs

EBSI developed several APIs for interaction with the EBSI blockchain, data registries, and smart contracts. Each API serves its specific role and is used by different actors. The following APIs are used in the EBSI VC and VP lifecycle today:

• Trusted Issuer Registry (TIR)
• Trusted Schema Registry (TSR)
• DID Registry API
• The table below summarises the APIs used in VC and VP lifecycle.

Action	API	Actor	Documentation
Issuer registration	TIR	Issuer	TIR API
Issuer verification	TIR	Holder, Verifier	TIR API
Schema registration	TSR	Issuer	TSR API
Schema verification	TSR	Issuer, Holder, Verifier	TSR API
Issuer accreditation	TIR	Issuer	TIR API Onboarding and accrediting Legal Entities