Vitalik Buterin warns that single digital IDs could erode pseudonymity
To achieve a flexible approach, Buterin proposed pluralistic identity systems, where no single authority controls identity issuance, as the “best realistic solution.”
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new kind of digital identity system dubbed “pluralistic identity,” arguing it could protect privacy while enabling fair participation in digital life.
In a blog post published Sunday, Buterin explored the promise and pitfalls of zero-knowledge (ZK) proof-wrapped IDs, warning that even privacy-preserving systems can carry serious risks if they rigidly enforce one identity per person.
“ZK-wrapping solves a lot of important problems,” he wrote, but warned that “ZK-wrapped ID still has risks,” especially because enforcing one ID per person can undermine pseudonymity and expose users to coercion.
To achieve a flexible approach, Buterin proposed pluralistic identity systems, where no single authority controls identity issuance, as the “best realistic solution.”
He explained these could be explicit, using social-graph-based verification like Circles, or implicit, relying on multiple ID providers — government documents, social platforms, and others — so no one ID gains near-total market share.
