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7. Supported Credential Formats and -Exchange Protocols, Wallets and DID

7.1 DID Methods

did:web did:ebsi did:elsi did:key did:keri did:op
Tagus X
Loire X
Danube X [1] via extension [2] via extension [2] X [1] via extension [2] via extension [2]

Note

  1. The did method is directly supported by the Gaia-X Basic Functions component of the Danube Gaia-X Core Engine.
  2. The did method may be directly supported by a suitable extension of the Gaia-X Core Engine.

In the table, the following did methods are mentioned:

  • did:ebsi (European Blockchain Services Infrastructure; now the Europeum EDIC)
  • did:elsi (linked to eIDAS)
  • did:key (equivalent to allowing completely anonymous participants)
  • did:keri (GLEIF)
  • did:op (Ocean Protocol) or other DLT-based methods

7.2 Credential Formats

JWS 2020 VC-JWT
Tagus X
Loire X
Danube X

where: - JWS 2020: W3C JSON Web Signature 2020 - VC-JWT: Verifiable Credential as JSON Web Token as specified in Securing Verifiable Credentials using JOSE and COSE

Rationale: JWS uses a signature embedded in the JSON file of the verifiable credential payload whereas VC-JWT takes the whole VC payload and wraps it into a JWT envelope. This separates the signature process from the actual VC contents. VC-JWT is also compatible with the eIDAS 2.0 EUDI Wallet and EUBW (Business Wallet).

7.3 Credential Exchange Protocols

Currently, the Gaia-X 3.0 “Danube” platform and other Gaia-X technically compatible compliance engines need to support the following credential exchange formats.

Version VC-API OID4VC Remarks
Tagus X will not be upgraded to OID4VC
Loire X X The Loire Compliance Engine itself does not support OID4VC. OID4VC access to Loire compliance is accomplished through the Gaia-X 3.0 “Danube” platform
Danube X X Gaia-X 3.0 “Danube” platform supports both protocols for Loire compliance and any extension

where:

  • VC-API: simple HTTP/REST API typically exposed at https://compliance-engine.company.com/v2/docs (example)
  • OID4VC: Open ID Foundation set of standards for verifiable credentials. Gaia-X currently uses OID4VCI (Issuance) and OID4VP (presentation)

Note on Gaia-X 3.0 “Danube” platform
The Danube platform supports OID4VC through its Gaia-X Compliance Dispatcher component.

Note on potential additional credential exchange protocols
We are well aware of various other credential exchange protocols such as - CHAPI: Credential Handler API - DCP: Decentralized Claims Protocol - DIDComm: Decentralized Communication - WACI: Wallet and Credential Interactions

In the current architecture of the Gaia-X 3.0 “Danube” platform, all in-bound API requests to the Danube platform are handled by the Gaia-X Compliance Dispatcher component (GXCD). That means that any additional credential protocol needes to be implemented directly in the GXCD.

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