---
url: 'https://www.corbado.com/glossary/open-id-4-vp'
title: 'OpenID for Verifiable Presentations (OpenID4VP)'
description: 'Learn what OpenID4VP (OpenID for Verifiable Presentations) is, how it simplifies digital identity verification, and its benefits for secure online authentication.'
lang: 'en'
keywords: 'OpenID4VP'
---

# OpenID for Verifiable Presentations (OpenID4VP)

## What is OpenID4VP?

**OpenID4VP (OpenID for Verifiable Presentations)** is a protocol that extends the OpenID
Connect standard, enabling users to securely present cryptographically verifiable
credentials to prove their [digital identity](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide) online without
relying on passwords or traditional forms of authentication.

OpenID4VP simplifies secure authentication by allowing users to:

- **Present Verifiable Credentials (VCs)**: Provide digitally signed documents or claims
  that prove identity attributes securely.
- **Maintain Privacy and Control**: Users control which specific data they share,
  enhancing privacy and data minimization.
- **Enable Decentralized Identity (DID)**: Supports
  [decentralized identifiers](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide), removing reliance on
  centralized authorities.
- **Streamline Secure Authentication**: Eliminates cumbersome authentication methods by
  utilizing cryptographically secure verification.

This protocol is essential for applications requiring secure
[identity verification](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide), such as
[financial services](https://www.corbado.com/passkeys-for-banking), [healthcare](https://www.corbado.com/passkeys-for-healthcare),
[government](https://www.corbado.com/passkeys-for-public-sector) services, and secure user authentication
scenarios.

> **Key Takeaways:**
> 
> - **OpenID4VP** extends OpenID Connect, allowing secure presentation of verifiable
>   credentials for [digital identity verification](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-verification).
> - Enhances [user privacy](https://www.corbado.com/faq/ensure-gdpr-compliance-with-passkeys), enabling selective
>   disclosure of personal information.
> - Facilitates secure, passwordless, decentralized
>   [digital identity verification](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-verification) and authentication.

---

## How OpenID4VP (OpenID for Verifiable Presentations) Works

OpenID4VP integrates with the widely-used OpenID Connect (OIDC) authentication protocol,
bringing the additional capability to verify user identity using cryptographic
credentials, known as [Verifiable Credentials](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/microcredentials) (VCs). Here's a
simplified overview:

1. **Credential Issuance**: Initially, a trusted [issuer](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/issuer) (like a
   [government](https://www.corbado.com/passkeys-for-public-sector), bank, or employer) provides the user with a
   digital credential containing verified attributes. This credential is cryptographically
   signed, ensuring authenticity and integrity.

2. **User Holds Credential**: Users securely store these
   [verifiable credentials](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/microcredentials) in digital
   [wallets](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-wallet-assurance) on their mobile devices or computers.

3. **Presentation of Credential**: When a user attempts to authenticate with an online
   service (the [relying party](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/relying-party)), the service requests specific
   identity attributes. Through OpenID4VP, the user can selectively present only the
   requested data from their [digital wallet](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-wallet-assurance), preserving
   privacy.

4. **Credential Verification**: The [relying party](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/relying-party) verifies the
   presented credential using cryptographic verification methods, ensuring the
   credential's validity without needing to contact the original
   [issuer](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/issuer) directly each time.

## Benefits of Using OpenID4VP

OpenID4VP delivers numerous benefits across digital authentication and
[identity management](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide):

- **Enhanced Security**: OpenID4VP significantly reduces [phishing](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/phishing)
  risks and credential theft by leveraging cryptographically secure credentials rather
  than traditional usernames and passwords.

- **Improved Privacy and Data Minimization**: Users control what personal information they
  share, adhering to privacy-by-design principles and reducing the risk of data breaches.

- **Seamless User Experience (UX)**: Eliminates password fatigue and simplifies secure
  logins, creating frictionless experiences for users.

- **Compliance and Regulatory Alignment**: Assists organizations in meeting stringent
  regulatory requirements (GDPR, [PSD2](https://www.corbado.com/blog/psd2-passkeys), [eIDAS](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/eidas)),
  ensuring robust authentication and user consent.

- **Support for Decentralized Identity (DID)**: OpenID4VP aligns with decentralized
  identity models, enabling users to manage digital identities independently from
  centralized databases or identity providers.

## Real-World Applications and Use Cases of OpenID4VP

OpenID4VP is particularly valuable in environments where strong, privacy-preserving
digital identities are necessary:

- **Financial Services and Banking**: Securely verifying customer identity during
  onboarding or authentication, significantly reducing
  [identity fraud](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-verification) and enhancing compliance.

- **Healthcare and Telemedicine**: Ensuring patient privacy by securely verifying identity
  for accessing sensitive medical records, prescriptions, or telehealth consultations.

- **Government and Public Services**: Providing secure, frictionless
  [digital identity](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide) verification for accessing
  e-[government](https://www.corbado.com/passkeys-for-public-sector) services, reducing bureaucracy and
  increasing efficiency.

- **E-commerce and Online Marketplaces**: Streamlining secure authentication and age
  verification processes, improving checkout experiences while preventing fraud.

## Integration with Passkeys and Other Authentication Methods

OpenID4VP seamlessly integrates with modern authentication approaches such as passkeys
(WebAuthn/[FIDO2](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/fido2)), creating even stronger and user-friendly identity
verification processes. This integration helps organizations achieve a
[phishing](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/phishing)-resistant and passwordless future, significantly enhancing
security and usability in digital interactions.

In summary, OpenID4VP represents an advanced evolution in
[digital identity verification](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-verification), combining secure
cryptographic credentials, enhanced privacy controls, and user-centric identity
management.

## OpenID4VP FAQs

### What is OpenID4VP used for?

OpenID4VP allows users to securely present cryptographically
[verifiable credentials](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/microcredentials) to prove their identity, enabling
secure and privacy-preserving authentication without relying on passwords.

### How does OpenID4VP protect user privacy?

OpenID4VP lets users selectively disclose only required identity attributes, ensuring
minimal data exposure and greater user control over personal information.

### What are Verifiable Credentials in OpenID4VP?

Verifiable Credentials are cryptographically secure
[digital certificates](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/microcredentials) issued by trusted entities, used to
prove specific attributes or claims about a user’s identity reliably.

### Can OpenID4VP work with decentralized identities (DID)?

Yes, OpenID4VP fully supports [decentralized identifiers](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide),
allowing users to manage their [digital identity](https://www.corbado.com/blog/digital-identity-guide)
independently, reducing reliance on centralized authorities.

### How does OpenID4VP integrate with passkeys or WebAuthn?

OpenID4VP can seamlessly integrate with passkeys (WebAuthn/[FIDO2](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/fido2)),
combining cryptographically secure credential verification with
[phishing](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/phishing)-resistant authentication, improving security and user
experience.