What is the Gateway ID?

Gateway ID is a unified identity hub within the Gateway Protocol, offering a streamlined and secure solution for individual users and organizations. As a main identifier, Gateway ID allows you to aggregate disparate identities from various wallets or web2 platforms into a single, cohesive identity.

This unique identifier becomes the anchor point for associating Private Data Assets (PDAs) with you while safeguarding other sensitive aspects of your identity, such as email addresses and wallet information.

Experience control by selectively adding or removing associated 'identities,' reducing data fragmentation, and streamlining your interactions with multiple wallets and web2 platforms.

This unification empowers you to manage PDAs through a single user-friendly interface. To learn more about the different identities you can aggregate, visit the User Tab here.

Uniquely, Gateway ID removes barriers to entry by allowing instant participation in the network.

Issuers can send PDAs to any supported authentication methods; if an associated Gateway ID doesn’t already exist, one will be automatically initialized for the user.

Our system is ever-evolving, with new authentication methods continually being incorporated. Soon, developers will be free to integrate their preferred authentication systems natively, further broadening the versatility and inclusivity of Gateway ID.

Structure

Each Gateway ID consists of the following components:

1. UserID/OrgID

(Required) - On Protocol

The UserID/OrgID is a unique, immutable ID on the protocol that is the basis of reference for every entity and action done on the protocol. The UserID/OrgID is surfacing publicly with associated actions on Arweave.

An example of a UserID/OrgID is:“f823d937-e9a2-4fff-a252-dab920026d39”.

This is randomly generated per user/org. You can send PDAs directly to this ID.

2. Username

(Optional) - On Protocol

The Gateway username is a unique, mutable identifier to make it easier for participants to send and receive PDAs. The username links to the User/OrgID above. You can only have one username. The following are the qualifications of a username:

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A username can only contain alphanumeric characters (letters A-Z, numbers 0-9) except underscores. A username can be a maximum of 15 characters.

Both organizations and users can claim usernames, and uniqueness is ensured across the whole set.

An example of a username is @Sanket. Send that username a PDA if you want to test it out! If the username does not exist, the PDA will not send.

You can edit this username on your GatewayID page inside the Dashboard.

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Currently, you are only allowed to change your GatewayID once a month. Choose wisely!

3. Signing Key

(Required) - On Protocol

This key allows organizations and users to cryptographically sign messages and transactions, registering proof of intent of specific actions on the protocol layer.

Users sign a message with their private key when they want to execute some action. This signature can be verified by anyone with access to the corresponding public key and is accessible to any network agent that seeks to verify the signature.

Every user and organization on the platform is assigned a private ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) signing key.

The ECDSA algorithm uses elliptic curve cryptography, which provides the same level of security as RSA encryption but with much smaller key sizes; this makes it well-suited for scenarios where you need efficient digital signatures.

The platform creates an immutable audit trail proving intent by requiring an ECDSA signature for every user action. The cryptography of ECDSA prevents forgery of signatures, enabling strong protections against identity theft and fraudulent transactions.

4. Encryption Key

(Required) - On Protocol

Additionally, every user/org has an encryption key generated to ensure that the information on the protocol layer is only accessible by the intended party. This encrypts all information on Arweave and prevents data leakage to malicious or peering parties.

5. Display Name

(Optional) - Off Protocol

Users and Organizations can also have display names. These are not enforced with uniqueness and are just used to provide an extra layer of context for the associated ID.

Display names can be between 4-50 characters. This is optional and will default to the GatewayID if not filled out.

On the GatewayID Page, you can change your Display Name as much as you want. This is not stored on the protocol (Arweave layer) but is kept on a separate database to help make your experience better.

6. Profile Picture

(Optional) - Off Protocol

Users and Orgs can also add an image to make identifying them easier. This is optional.

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File supported:
JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG / Max size: 5 MB

Privacy

Gateway ID was designed with a singular mission: to empower users to take control of their data while maintaining a standard of security and privacy often unparalleled in the digital realm.

We've adopted a minimalist approach in public data disclosure, revealing only the essential information necessary to establish verifiable intent and ensure unimpeachable data integrity.

To better understand our steadfast commitment to your privacy, we invite you to explore our dedicated Privacy Section.