Sign-In with Ethereum is a form of authentication that gives users control over their digital identity through Ethereum accounts and ENS profiles.
The project is built on fundamentals to give users control of their online identity and information. Features that can be found using Sign-In with Ethereum (SIWE) consist of fetching, updating, and posting data by signing the transaction with their Ethereum wallet.
When signing into a domain name server (dns), users frequently use identity providers (IDPs). Identity providers are centralized entities that give end users the verification for their login credentials. Sign-In with Ethereum (EIP-4361) enables users more control and responsibility over their digital identity by connecting their decentralized wallet to a site using Ethereum accounts.
It’s no secret large amounts of online users’ privacy have been lost using centralized identity providers to login to our favorite sites. Sign-In with Ethereum is on the scaling edge of innovation. It gives users more control of their data along with their online identity.
Allowing users keys to their online identity creates opportunities that exist beyond the blockchain ecosystem. Instead of using centralized companies like Google or Facebook for login credentials for email or social media accounts, using Sign-In with Ethereum offers users privacy and control over their information.
Offering users control of their online identity simply by authorizing a transaction with their decentralized wallet to a site is priceless. Users who use Sign-In with Ethereum will be equipped with a smoother login experience by reducing the memorization of login credentials for each account. Current wallets that support this integration are Metamask, WalletConnect, Fortmatic, Torus, and Coinbase.
Spruce’s Proposal Accepted
Spruce is a neutral identity tooling company that has services that include authentication for NFT creators, private pools for decentralized finance, and a cross-chain reputation for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). Spruce was founded on transparency, privacy, and experimentation.
Their collaboration proposal was accepted by the ENS DAO to host and maintain a community server acting as neutral parties for the development and use of Sign-In with Ethereum. Both parties believe the ENS service and community would benefit from increased demand for organizations to use ENS as a tool.
Recent updates through Spruce suggest new developments for EIP-4361 are underway. Key takeaways are
- Working on fixes across libraries
- Community-run identity server deployed
- Finishing developments with a major wallet on a direct sign-in with Ethereum integration
Community members can follow the developments of SIWE project through recorded community calls and public forums. The utility that’s being developed with Sign-In with Ethereum should spark more innovation within the crypto ecosystem. Current developments being sponsored by the Ethereum Foundation and Ethereum Name Service only strengthens the long-term bull case for Ethereum adoption.