Holonym Foundation has acquired Gitcoin Passport for $10 million, renaming it Human Passport to create a prominent Proof of Personhood network. This protocol allows users to verify their uniqueness without sharing sensitive data. It integrates multiple verification methods and employs zero-knowledge proofs to enhance privacy in digital identity systems, ultimately seeking to empower human rights online.
Holonym Foundation has acquired Gitcoin Passport for $10 million in an effort to build the largest Proof of Personhood (PoP) network. Post-acquisition, Gitcoin Passport will be rebranded as Human Passport, which is designed to help users confirm their unique identities without compromising sensitive information.
Holonym joins PoP competitors like Humanity Protocol, Civic, and World (formerly known as Worldcoin), aiming to authenticate individuals without reliance on a central authority. This approach secures the verification process while concealing personal details, ensuring that users are verified as real human beings.
The Human Passport will utilize various verification methods, including online reputation, phone numbers, and anonymous biometric techniques. The founder, Shady El Damaty, emphasized the potential for this technology to help displaced individuals in the Global South gain essential identities for accessing humanitarian services, although the specific biometric technology remains undisclosed.
Enhanced with zero-knowledge (ZK) capabilities, the Human Passport will boost digital identity privacy by using cryptographic proofs that verify statements without revealing sensitive data. This ensures better security in digital identification systems, making it an attractive alternative for users concerned with data privacy.
The Human Passport initiative is part of the broader Human.tech ecosystem, which aims to streamline identity verification, authentication, and access to financial systems. With a planned rollout of 34.5 million zero-knowledge credentials, these efforts will surpass Worldcoin’s identity proofs, bolstering the network’s overall reach and efficacy in PoP applications.
The acquisition of Gitcoin Passport by Holonym represents a significant advancement in the Proof of Personhood sector, aiming to enhance digital identity verification in a privacy-preserving way. By leveraging various verification methods and introducing zero-knowledge proofs, the Human Passport is positioned to tackle the challenges of digital identity while supporting vulnerable populations. This strategic move aligns with Holonym’s goal of safeguarding digital human rights on the internet.
Original Source: www.biometricupdate.com
