# Decentralized Identity Solutions Rise to Solve ‘Unique Human’ Problem in Web3 Space

Decentralized identity (DID) solutions are gaining traction in the Web3 space to address the ‘unique human’ problem. One notable example is the Humanity Protocol, which leverages palm vein biometrics.

The Humanity Protocol aims to resolve the issues faced by existing DID protocols, such as centralization risks, privacy concerns, and fake accounts. It allows users to authenticate their identity by scanning their palms, utilizing zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) to ensure privacy, while the authentication data remains undisclosed.

# The Importance of Human-Centric DID

The Humanity Protocol is a blockchain-based identity verification system that uses the unique mapping of human palm veins to establish an individual’s identity. It protects privacy while utilizing biometric data and creates a digital identity ecosystem resilient to Sybil attacks. This framework facilitates secure interactions between individuals and organizations in both digital and physical spaces.

The number of globally created Web3 wallets is nearing one billion. The Humanity Protocol aims to provide a trust-based identity network for these users and is developing a Proof of Humanity (PoH) mechanism for genuine digital human authentication. The goal is to provide developers with unique human verification tools and users with complete ownership of their data and identity.

# Web3 Confronts Web2’s Barriers

In the modern digital environment, identity is a fundamental right and a crucial social foundation. However, centralized platforms have controlled personal data, setting up surveillance and monetization structures. Companies like Google, Meta, and Twitter dominate the authentication systems through their infrastructures, monopolizing user data control.

Despite the advent of the Web3 era, the ‘unique human verification’ issue persists, primarily due to Sybil attacks. While blockchain consensus algorithms can thwart Sybil attacks, applications struggle with fake accounts and multiple user attempts. This hampers transparent identity-based distribution for online voting and basic income (UBI) payments. Furthermore, such issues impede the integration of Web3 technology with offline world activities, such as real estate ownership, credit records, and financial access.

# PoH and Humanity Protocol’s Technological Approach

The Humanity Protocol redefines the approach to these problems by integrating user-centric, privacy-first technology instead of existing invasive identity verification methods. At its core is Proof of Humanity (PoH). This mechanism verifies “Are you a unique human?” in the first stage and “Are you the person you claim to be?” in the second stage.

The PoH integrates palm vein recognition, decentralized data storage, zero-knowledge proof (ZKP), Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), and KYC technologies into a zkEVM-based rollup structure. This architecture is EVM-compatible and can be used as an authentication service across various blockchains and decentralized applications (dApps).

Notably, it also includes AI-based biometric authentication technology. AI models, trained on over five years of palm vein data, enable accurate verification under various lighting conditions. This AI technology, combined with the Humanity Protocol’s proprietary hardware (HP Hardware), expands into the DePIN network.

# Bridging Physical World and Blockchain with DePIN Infrastructure

The Humanity Protocol’s DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure) network utilizes PoH’s non-intrusive biometric authentication based on palm veins, enabling blockchain-based verification for diverse real-world scenarios like building access, hotel check-ins, and payments. Offering greater privacy and inclusiveness than iris or facial recognition, it is seen as a key technology bridging online and offline domains. The Humanity Protocol builds a trust network resilient to Sybil attacks, granting users self-sovereign identity and data control, and enabling connectivity with real-world assets (RWA).

# $HP Token Ecosystem

The ecosystem’s backbone is the $HP token, with a fixed supply of 10 billion ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum, used for identity verification, verification rewards, and DAO governance. $HP incentivizes various actions, including PoH verifier rewards, verification fee distribution, and DePIN contributor rewards.

Additionally, it supplies liquidity and fosters network growth by rewarding community activities, airdrops based on project partnerships, and incentivizing DePIN node operations, encouraging active participation from token holders.

# Usability and Reward System

Users can create a Human ID by simply scanning their palms through the testnet, making it usable across the digital space. Participation in verification activities earns them reward tokens (RWT). The protocol also incorporates a referral system to attract community members and regularly rewards users with high engagement in verification.

The Humanity Protocol stands at the forefront of DID solutions, offering a privacy-first, resilient, and inclusive approach to identity verification in the Web3 space.