Driving Global Data Spaces Interoperability

Self-Sovereign Data and Identity

MOBI and its members are driving interoperability between existing systems and data spaces with a Web3 infrastructure built for Self-Sovereign Data and Identity (SSDI).

Empowering secure, user-controlled digital identity and data for a decentralized future.

Challenges with Centralized Identities and Data

In recent years, emerging technologies like blockchain, AI, and IoT have accelerated digital transformation. Every year, billions of digital transactions take place not only between people and organizations, but also between devices, vehicles, packages, and infrastructure. According to a report by IoT Analytics, there were 16.6 billion connected IoT devices by the end of 2023. This is projected to grow 13% to 18.8 billion by the end of 2024. As digitalization transforms every aspect of our modern lives, it’s crucial to adopt secure, interoperable, and user-friendly models for managing digital identities and data. Unfortunately, current systems fall short of meeting the evolving demands of consumers, businesses, and regulators, including:

Existing systems give users limited control, leaving them vulnerable to losing access or having accounts suspended.

Centralized data storage creates single points of failure, increasing the risk of breaches.

Many systems are isolated, making communication between them difficult. This results in inefficiencies and data that is hard to transfer or verify across systems.

Interoperability issues between systems hamper sustainability efforts. Without standardized models, validating claims is time-consuming and complex.

Existing systems give users limited control, leaving them vulnerable to losing access or having accounts suspended.

Centralized data storage creates single points of failure, increasing the risk of breaches.

Many systems are isolated, making communication between platforms difficult. This results in inefficiencies and data that is hard to transfer or verify across platforms.

Interoperability issues between platforms hamper sustainability efforts. Without standardized models, validating claims is time-consuming and complex.

A New Paradigm for Digital Interactions

These challenges call for a bold new approach — one that puts users in control of their digital identities and data. In other words, we need a scalable, secure framework to support Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and Self-Sovereign Data (SSD) implementations.

In an SSI-based model, entities have full control over their own portable, verifiable identities. Meanwhile, SSD refers to the concept where users — individuals or organizations — fully own and manage their data. Unlike traditional systems, where third parties store and control data, SSD allows users to decide how, when, and with whom their data is shared, all without relying on centralized authorities. This shift offers greater privacy, security, and autonomy. A framework rooted in SSI and SSD would enhance:

Entities control their identity and data, deciding who can access them and for what purposes (selective disclosure). This improves privacy and reduces data misuse.

By eliminating centralized data silos, this model minimizes risks from data breaches. Information is securely encrypted and stored by the owner.

The framework works across systems and services, making digital interactions smoother and more efficient, without requiring expensive integrations.

Users gain more transparency into how their data is used, fostering greater trust between individuals and service providers.

MOBI’s Web3 Infrastructure

MOBI’s Web3 infrastructure, comprising Citopia and the Integrated Trust Network (ITN), offers a secure, user-controlled framework for interoperability between existing systems and data spaces. This system leverages World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs) open-standards to ensure users retain control over their data, facilitating private, secure, and trusted interactions across systems and clouds.

Integrated Trust Network (ITN)

The ITN is a federated network that acts as a trusted registry for user-generated DIDs (encrypted, cryptographically verifiable signatures) anchored on blockchains for tamper-evidence. Each DID is linked to public-private key pairs, allowing users to securely sign transactions (VCs) while maintaining control over their digital identity and data. Learn more

Citopia

Citopia is a decentralized marketplace built on SSI and SSD principles for selective disclosure. Within Citopia, users can securely exchange and verify VCs and Verifiable Presentations (VPs) — digital attestations (signed with DIDs) for trusted verifiable transactions. These credentials can be presented to verifiers as needed, with cryptographic proofs ensuring their authenticity. Learn more

Self-Sovereign Digital Twins (SSDTs™)

In MOBI’s Web3 architecture, DIDs and VCs are managed through Self-Sovereign Digital Twins™ (SSDTs™). An SSDT™ is a decentralized, digital representation of an entity, enabling them to autonomously manage their identity and data. Each SSDT™ includes two main components:

  • A Wallet, which stores DIDs and cryptographic keys. DIDs are encrypted signatures for Web3 transactions.
  • An Encrypted Data Vault, which securely holds VCs and VPs for transactions. VCs and VPs are Web3 transactions.

With SSDTs™, users can authenticate identities and engage in private, secure transactions — all while keeping full control over their data. This eliminates the need for centralized identity management, ensuring only the intended recipient has access to sensitive information—laying the foundations for interoperability between data spaces and existing systems.

Self-Sovereign Digital Twin diagram

  • ITN Trusted Identity Services

  • Mutual Identity Recognition

  • APIs to Communicate with other SSDTs™

  • APIs to Communicate with Legacy Systems

  • Zero-Knowledge Proof Implementations

  • Cross-Industry Interoperability and Business Automation

  • Identity/Lifecycle Traceability

  • Components/Events/Preferences Traceability

  • Data/Digital Assets Traceability

  • Payment & Settlement Traceability

Interoperability between Existing Systems and Data Spaces

The diagrams below shows how MOBI’s Web3 Infrastructure maintains comprehensive interoperability across disparate systems and data spaces through SSDTs™.

Web2<>Web3 Interoperability through using SSDTs (User Agents)

Data Spaces Interoperability through using SSDTs (User Agents)

How it Works: Web3 Commerce With Citopia and the ITN

The diagrams below show a detailed view of how SSDTs™ interact and transact in Citopia DM. Each SSDT™ contains a Wallet for DIDs and an Encrypted Data Vault (EDV) for VCs, enabling SSDT™ owners to engage in secure transactions. Entities onboard themselves onto Citopia DM applications in accordance with their needs. This generates a membership credential, which is stored in their SSDT™. Entities onboarded onto a particular app can connect their SSDTs™ to the app to transact with one another using selective disclosure. These transactions, or VCs, are stored securely in each participant’s SSDT™. No external entity has access to the contents of a given SSDT™ without the owner’s express permission.

1. SSDT with main DID + VCs — ecosystem membership + credentials
2. GBP App DID + VCs | RUC App DID + VCs — app membership + credentials
3a. Selective Disclosure DID + VCs — transactions / credentials
3b. GBPS Selective Disclosure DID + VCs — transactions / credentials

Scroll to the right to see how it works

Get involved!

MOBI welcomes participation from organizations in every industry across the globe. Join us in shaping the future of digital transactions with Self-Sovereign Data and Identity.

Get involved!

Learn more and get involved

MOBI welcomes participation from organizations in every industry across the globe. Join us in shaping the future of data spaces interoperability.