KILT CEO: ZK proof is too complex for Decentralization identity verification

Author: Vince Quill, CoinTelegraph; Translation: Wu Zhu, Golden Finance

Zero-knowledge (ZK) proof - a method for verifying information without revealing the specific content - has become a popular approach to creating Decentralization identity products.

Despite the widespread publicity, Ingo Rübe, CEO and co-founder of the Decentralization identity provider KILT Protocol, explained that the highly technical nature of ZK proofs makes it difficult for governments and institutions to adopt.

In an interview, KILT CEO explained that biometric data and other Decentralization identifiers can be selectively shared with parties and verified on-chain using Merkle Trees (a data structure understood by all computer scientists), which is easier, faster, and more efficient than ZK.

Rübe also believes that the Open Source software commonly used in ZK solutions may be a time bomb, leading to massive data leaks and the exposure of sensitive user data:

Companies that use zk-SNARKs usually get a library from someone who has been creating some Open Source things, but no one takes responsibility. So, what happens if this thing doesn't work as expected?

"The best thing you can do is to use a public, permissionless blockchain to store the validity of credentials," the CEO said, asserting that users must have autonomy over and create their own digital identifiers, which are stored locally and verified on a decentralized blockchain network.

The World Wide Web Consortium has established the standard for the Decentralization identity solution in 2022. Source: World Wide Web Consortium

Decentralization Identity Solution: The Future of Identity Recognition

Rübe pointed out that the comparative approach of Decentralization identity solutions is applicable to different and unique use cases and applications (including ZK proof), but he emphasizes that using ZK proof for Decentralization identity is like trying to kill a fly with a rocket launcher.

Despite the daunting technical barriers, some companies and governments are still attempting ZK-supported identity solutions. In October 2024, announced the launch of a resident Decentralizationidentity recognition supported by ZKsync Era.

Recently, on October 17th, World (formerly known as Worldcoin) announced the next generation biometric data collection sphere and touted alternative methods for personal identity verification, with the most notable being the company's World ID Credentials program. The program will allow anyone holding a government passport that supports NFTs to register their identity in the World system.