What is Attestation and Why is it the Key Infrastructure for Web3 Real-World Use Cases?
What does the term “Attestation” mean? What is the difference between Attestation and the similar term “Verification”? The ChainFeeds team introduces the concept and its impact on the industry in this newsletter.
Attestation is gradually appearing in the technical documents and marketing materials of some Web3 projects. It represents a form of certification. The main difference between Attestation and Verification is that Verification is based on a definitive method and can be repeatedly verified. On the other hand, Attestation is a more subjective form of certification, similar to “testimony” or “declaration.” Attestors provide subjective recognition that cannot be verified by other means. Examples of Attestation include verifying the validity of a passport, confirming ownership of an email address, or proving one’s educational background.
Attestation is an important infrastructure for the development of Web3. The blockchain industry emphasizes verification, as verified information is considered accurate and real. Verification guarantees data availability, ensures the verification of NFT ownership, and more. Conversely, Attestation involves subjective judgments and is not entirely objective.
Understanding these differences helps explain why many projects use Attestation as a core concept. They aim to solve a social consensus problem of integrating existing certifiers into Web3 facilities and functionalities, and to bring certification into the Web3 world. These projects aim to define certain events that can be witnessed and declared according to specific standards, storing this data on the blockchain or implementing more combinable logic through smart contracts to better meet real-world needs.
As the demand for integrating off-chain information with blockchain increases, the importance of Attestation mechanisms and related infrastructure also grows.
Although the concept of Attestation is not new, especially for those familiar with Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake consensus, some projects have gained widespread attention. Teams such as EAS, Smart Layer, EthSign, Verax, and PADO Labs emphasize the relevance of their protocols to the concept of Attestation. These examples provide a clearer understanding of the applications and use cases of “certification.”
In Ethereum’s consensus process, Attestation refers to the recognition by validators of the final state of the current block. It is similar to voting. Validators can be punished if they engage in malicious behavior, show passivity, or disconnect during this process.
Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS) is an open-source infrastructure project that allows for on-chain or off-chain proofs. It utilizes structured information and digital signatures to verify facts, establish authenticity, and build trust in various online and on-chain interactions. EAS operates through two smart contracts: the Schema Registry Contract, used to register proof schemas, and the Attestation Contract, used for proof creation and management. Attestations can be recorded on the blockchain for anyone to verify.
Smart Layer is a programmable blockchain service layer that enables existing tokens and smart contracts to have more executable logic without modifying the contracts themselves. This layer is based on TokenScript technology and creates Executable Tokens, which are NFTs or tokens with built-in executable code that can perform various functions.
EthSign is a blockchain-based signing protocol that allows users to sign, encrypt, and permanently store documents in a decentralized, secure, and verifiable environment. It enables users from different blockchain systems to collaborate and sign files using their own encryption keys.
Verax is a shared registry of on-chain attestations that provides a centralized storage for on-chain proofs. It offers developers a universal and scalable tool to manage and utilize on-chain attestations, which can verify the identity of entities, ownership of digital assets, trust in a wallet, and more.
PADO Labs is a cryptographic infrastructure that allows users to prove off-chain data in a real and privacy-preserving manner. It utilizes advanced cryptographic techniques, including MPC-TLS and IZK, to enable blind proofs, where the attester cannot see the raw data but can ensure the source of the transmitted data.
In conclusion, Attestation plays a crucial role in promoting the widespread adoption of Web3, as it provides verification of the relationship between on-chain and off-chain assets, enhances transparency, and instills confidence in investors and participants.