The Sovereign Identity Masquerade
Strip away the libertarian romance of self-sovereign credentials and you find an expensive compliance utility wearing a digital mask.
Self-sovereign identity projects promise an escape from corporate masters and state registries, but a cold audit reveals high fixed costs, non-existent customer moats, and an inevitable collision with the legal system. When recourse is required, the revolution quietly turns into an ordinary compliance vendor.
Marcus Thornewood
September 23, 2026
5 min