Overview

This section illustrates the high-level architecture of a system designed to facilitate secure data exchange between various entities using a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework. Figure 1 shows the components and their interactions.

Figure 1: Components Overview

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the components and their interactions (from left to right):

• Local Courts These are the authoritative sources where company information is maintained. Multiple local courts contribute to the central repository managed by Bundesanzeiger Verlag.

• Bundesanzeiger Verlag (Issuer)

  • Company Register (Unternehmensregister) The Company Register is an official database aggregating enterprise data from multiple sources, including commercial registers. It includes information about registered companies, including their legal status, ownership, and financial details. It serves as a public record, providing transparency and accountability for businesses operating within a jurisdiction.
  • Transparency Register (Transparenzregister) The Transparency Register is a database or public registry designed to enhance transparency by providing information about the ownership and control structures of legal entities, such as companies and organisations. It aims to prevent illicit activities such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption by ensuring that the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) of entities are disclosed and accessible to regulatory authorities, stakeholders, and the public.
  • API An interface that facilitates the interaction between the Bundesanzeiger Verlag and external entities, enabling them to access the data stored in the Company Register and Transparency Register.
  • Client Zone The SSI Agent is responsible for issuing verifiable credentials based on the data retrieved from the Bundesanzeiger Verlag in a dedicated Client Zone.

• Enterprise (Holder) Enterprises use the SSI Agent to request, store and present verifiable credentials. As such, the included SSI Agent module represents a digital wallet for credentials.

• Bank (Verifier) Banks use the SSI Agent to verify credentials presented by enterprises. This verification process ensures the authenticity and integrity of the credentials.

Interaction Flow

• Bundesanzeiger Verlag via an API provides data from Local Courts to the SSI Agent (Issuer).
• The SSI Agent (Issuer) issues credentials based on this data.
• Enterprises receive and store these credentials in their SSI Agent (Wallet).
• When needed, banks verify these credentials using their SSI Agent (Verifier) and assess risk through their Risk Management System.
• The Verifiable Data Registry supports the system by maintaining lists of trusted verifiers and issuers, and managing decentralized identifiers.