MOBI Web3 Vision and Architecture
MOBI and its members are driving interoperability between existing systems and data spaces with a Web3 infrastructure built for secure, seamless B2B and B2C transactions.
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. Statista forecasts that this figure will nearly double to 32.1 billion by 2030. 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:
Driving Global Data Spaces Interoperability
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, without having to turn their transaction records over to centralized authorities. This shift offers greater privacy, security, and autonomy. A framework rooted in SSI and SSD would enhance:
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. Think of it as a private internet, wherein entities can engage in secure, autonomous, encrypted transactions. 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. Both Citopia and the ITN are:
Ecosystem at a Glance: MOBI, ITN, and Citopia
- MOBI is a nonprofit consortium which serves as a neutral convener for organizations to collaborate on standards and build the Web3 infrastructure (Citopia and ITN) for interoperability between existing systems and data spaces.
- The ITN is a federated (member-built and -operated) DIDs registry providing trusted identity services.
- Citopia Federated Network is a federated (member-built and -operated) network of nodes providing Web3 services to support Citopia Decentralized Marketplace (DM).
- Citopia DM is a decentralized marketplace of Web3 services and applications built by network node operations (Citopia Members). Entities can engage in DM applications using Self-Sovereign Digital Twins™ (SSDTs™) for secure, interoperable transactions and data exchange.
- SSDTs™ are the key enablers of interoperability — these portable, cryptographically secure user agents allow entities to maintain complete control over their data, identity, and transactions (which are stored in the SSDT™, not in the applications themselves).
Interoperability between Existing Systems and Data Spaces
The diagrams below shows how MOBI’s Web3 Infrastructure enables interoperability across disparate systems and data spaces through SSDTs™.
Self-Sovereign Digital Twins (SSDTs™)
In MOBI’s Web3 infrastructure, 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, data, and transactions. 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 Verifiable Presentations (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.