IOTA Identity 1.7 Beta: Future-Proof Digital ID with Hybrid Post-Quantum Signatures

• IOTA Identity 1.7 Beta adds hybrid post-quantum signatures and ML-DSA support to secure credentials against future quantum threats.
• Verifiable Credentials can now be published on-chain for open validation, improving trust while keeping personal data private under GDPR.

IOTA has introduced Identity 1.7 Beta, which strengthens digital identity and provides security to protect data before quantum computing becomes a threat.

This release is a major step forward in offering protection against the risks that quantum systems may pose to  conventional encryption.

In collaboration with the LINKS Foundation, the update adds support for ML-DSA signatures, a cryptographic method endorsed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The approach is intended to resist attacks from quantum computers capable of breaking today’s public-key systems. By using this standard, credentials issued today can remain intact for decades.

This release focuses on hybrid post-quantum signatures that combine current cryptographic algorithms with the new ML-DSA protection. It helps organizations use quantum-safe methods without abandoning their present infrastructure.

This dual approach provides backward compatibility while preparing for future security requirements.

On-Chain Verifiable Credentials for Open Verification

IOTA Identity 1.7 also introduces the ability to publish Verifiable Credentials directly on-chain. Earlier, credentials were exchanged privately, suitable for individual verification but less ideal for public validation. With this change, organizations can issue credentials to a public IOTA address, making them instantly discoverable and verifiable through a DID Document.

Such credentials can confirm certificates, product specifications, or origin proofs that require public visibility. The system supports transparency for sectors such as trade and supply chain management, where authenticity must be open to verification. At the same time, personal data remains off-chain to stay within data protection laws like GDPR.

This progress expands the IOTA Trust Framework, a set of open-source tools made to support secure and scalable digital trust solutions. Now, developers and organizations can use public verification without depending on a central authority, which makes decentralized systems more reliable.

Future-Proofing Identity and Gradual Adoption

Post-quantum signatures in IOTA Identity 1.7 are released as experimental features. Developers can use them for testing and evaluation while the industry follows NIST’s recommendations. This gradual release helps keep systems stable while they move toward quantum-safe security.

Hybrid signatures already work well with current digital systems and allow an easy shift. Organizations can use these methods without changing their existing verification tools. This reduces entry barriers and makes long-term security stronger.

IOTA Co-founder Dominik Schiener highlighted the importance of this upgrade, stating, 

This release introduces IOTA Identity 1.7 Beta as a strong base for decades of secure digital identity management. By introducing hybrid post-quantum technology and on-chain verification, it sets a reliable structure for the next phase of digital trust.