Blockchain-Verified Identity Systems for Cross-Metaverse Compatibility

Abstract

The emergence of multiple, independently operated metaverse platforms has underscored the pressing need for an interoperable identity framework that can facilitate secure, user‑centric navigation across heterogeneous virtual worlds. Traditional digital identity systems rely heavily on centralized authorities, exposing user data to privacy risks, creating single points of failure, and inhibiting seamless cross‑platform engagement. This manuscript introduces the Blockchain‑Verified Identity System (BVIS), a decentralized architecture built upon W3C’s Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs), augmented by cross‑chain interoperability protocols. BVIS empowers users with full sovereignty over their identity data while enabling selective disclosure of attributes through zero‑knowledge proof techniques. We detail the system’s layered architecture—comprising identity wallets, smart‑contract‑based issuance and verification modules, and a cross‑chain bridge—and describe the design and implementation of our Ethereum‑compatible prototype spanning two testnets (Rinkeby and Polygon Mumbai). A rigorous evaluation involving performance benchmarking and a user experience trust survey demonstrates that BVIS achieves an average end‑to‑end verification latency of just over one second, gas costs under US$0.20 per verification, and significantly higher perceived trust and privacy control compared to centralized OAuth2 systems. Our findings confirm BVIS’s viability as a unifying identity layer for the metaverse, laying groundwork for future extensions such as role‑based group credentials, advanced privacy-preserving proofs, and decentralized relayer networks.