FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27th, 2026
Credential Engine Launches Issuer Identity Registry to Strengthen Trust in Credential Ecosystems
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Credential Engine announces the launch of its Issuer Identity Registry (IIR) and Governance Framework, further advancing trust, transparency, and interoperability across credentialing ecosystems.
As credentials increasingly become digital and move across platforms and systems, the need to confirm the identity of credential issuers has never been more critical. “Until now, no consistent infrastructure existed, and without a reliable way to verify issuer identity at every step, portability and trust breaks down,” says Jeanne Kitchens, Chief Technology Solutions Officer at Credential Engine. “The IIR provides a consistent way to validate that credential providers are who they say they are, so that every credential can be traced to a trusted source at every step.”
The IIR connects credential and organization data from the Credential Registry with verified issuer identities in a unified, transparent system using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). Supported by a public Governance Framework developed with global partners, the IIR establishes clear, adaptable practices for how issuer identities are validated, maintained, and trusted over time, and creates a shared foundation for trust across credentialing ecosystems.
“Arkansas has seen firsthand that credential transparency is not just a data exercise. Transparency has to be built on trust,” says Robert McGough, State Chief Data Officer at the Office of State Technology for the Arkansas Department of Shared Administrative Services. “Credential Engine’s Issuer Identity Registry strengthens that transparency infrastructure by connecting credentials to the organizations that stand behind them, improving trust, navigation, and interoperability across the talent ecosystem.”
The trust and legitimacy that the IIR enables is valuable for stakeholders across the credential ecosystem. Credential providers, such as colleges, training providers, and universities, gain a structured, efficient way to authenticate their identity. Employers can quickly confirm who issued a credential, reducing complexity in hiring and advancement decisions, and bringing greater confidence to talent registries. Learners benefit from credentials backed by verified issuers, giving them portable, trustworthy proof of their achievements. State agencies and workforce systems gain infrastructure that supports clear, accountable credential verification at scale.
“The Credential Engine Issuer Identity Registry will be an important addition to North Dakota’s digital credential ecosystem. The IIR provides a critical trust anchor needed to verify and confidently accept digital credentials while supporting the long-term vision for statewide institutional participation in the IIR,” says Tracy Korsmo, the SLDS (Statewide Longitudinal Data System) Program Manager at North Dakota Information Technology.
Issuer identity verification has been one of the most persistent and consequential gaps in the digital credentials landscape, leaving learners, workers, and employers without a reliable way to confirm the source of a credential. Together with the Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC), we explored how issuer identity can be standardized and verified across systems, and identified the technical and governance requirements needed to support scalable, privacy-preserving solutions.
“Trusted issuer identity has been a persistent gap in the digital credentials landscape. This work demonstrates a practical path forward, one that supports greater transparency while remaining flexible enough to evolve with the ecosystem,” says Kerri Lemoie, Director at Digital Credentials Consortium.
Credentials only create opportunity when they can be trusted, and trust requires knowing who stands behind them. The launch of the IIR represents a natural extension of Credential Engine’s mission to improve transparency in the credential marketplace. Credential Engine invites credential issuers to register in the IIR today.
This work was made possible with support from Walmart.
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About Credential Engine: Credential Engine is a non-profit whose mission is to map the credentials, qualifications, and skills landscape with clear information, fueling the creation of resources that empower people to discover and pursue the learning and career pathways that are best for them. Credential Engine provides a suite of web-based services that include the Credential Registry to house up-to-date information about all credentials, skills, and providers, the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL), a common description language to enable credential comparability, and a platform to support customized applications to search and retrieve information about credentials, skills, and providers.
Contact: Info@credentialengine.org