Atala PRISM

Atala PRISM is a self-sovereign identity (SSI) platform built on the Cardano blockchain that provides infrastructure for issuing and managing decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials. Launched in 2020 by Input Output Global (IOG), the platform implements the W3C DID specification and DIDComm v2 protocols for secure peer-to-peer communication.

The platform's core technical components include a Cloud Agent written in Scala that handles credential management and blockchain integration, Edge Agent SDKs for wallet development across multiple platforms (TypeScript, Kotlin/Swift), and DIDComm v2 Mediators for decentralized messaging. It supports multiple credential formats including AnonCreds and JWT, with data storage on the Cardano blockchain serving as the Verifiable Data Registry. In 2024, the codebase was contributed to the Hyperledger Foundation as Hyperledger Identus to foster open-source development.

Notable implementations include a partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education to create a national blockchain-based student and teacher ID system targeting 5 million students and 750,000 teachers. The platform is also being integrated with DISH Network for decentralized identification and loyalty systems. Key features include:

• Complete DID operations and lifecycle management
• Verifiable credential issuance, updates and revocation
• Multi-tenancy support for enterprise deployments
• Integration with Hashicorp Vault for secrets management
• Cross-platform SDK support for wallet development
• Compliance with W3C and DIDComm standards