Verifiable User Agents
A new class of applications that aggregate and interact with decentralized Verifiable Services, making trust-based discovery automatic and verifiable.
What VUAs Can Be
VUAs unlock a wide variety of decentralized apps, for example:
Decentralized Social Networks
An X-like network built from decentralized Social Channels.
AI Assistant Browsers
Apps for discovering and talking with official chat services and AI assistants.
Decentralized Video Apps
Streaming apps that aggregate film catalogs published by creators.
E-commerce Aggregators
Apps that list all businesses using e-commerce Verifiable Services.
Hotel PMS Apps
Users can book hotels directly through verified PMS-powered services.
And Many More
Innovations waiting to be built with trust-based indexing.
Key Advantage
Because indexing is trust-based, inclusion is automatic and verifiable: no gatekeepers, no paywalls.
Business Models for VUA Builders
VUA developers can also create their own ecosystem within Verana. This allows them to:
Define Governance
Create their Ecosystem Governance Framework (EGF).
Issue Credentials
Issue or sell credentials to Verifiable Service owners.
Control Visibility
Control how services appear within their VUA app.
When a service owner attaches such a credential to their Verifiable Service’s DID, they automatically become discoverable inside the VUA.
Example: Blue Network VUA
In a “Blue Network” VUA, an influencer could:
Free Option
Get a free credential to appear in the app.
Premium Option
Purchase a premium credential to guarantee an ad-free experience for followers.
This creates sustainable, privacy-preserving business models while giving service owners full autonomy over visibility and monetization.
How VUAs Work
A Verifiable User Agent (VUA) is software, such as a browser, wallet, or app, that connects to VSs and other VUAs. To establish connections, a VUA must:
Verify Credentials
Verify the credentials presented by peers to establish trusted connections.
Query Network
Query the Verana Network to confirm credentials were issued by recognized authorities.
This ensures all connections are based on verifiable trust, not assumptions.
VUA Discovery Capabilities
In addition, VUAs can query the Verifiable Service Directory (indexed by the Trust Resolver) to:
Smart Search
Let users search for services by credential attributes (e.g., find a social channel linked to an influencer’s name).
Policy Enforcement
Enforce inclusion policies (e.g., only VSs with certain credentials can be listed or promoted).
VUA Architecture
VUA Instance Components
Verifiable User Agent
Network Architecture
Why This Matters
❌ Traditional Apps
Rely on opaque algorithms
Advertising-driven models
Centralized gatekeepers
Walled garden platforms
✅ VUAs Flip This Model
Verifiable credentials determine visibility
Ecosystem-defined governance
Ensuring fairness and privacy
Complete transparency
Real-World Example
Hologram Messaging
The first known Verifiable User Agent
A chatbot and AI agent browser that demonstrates the power of VUAs in practice.
Learn More
Explore how Hologram Messaging implements VUA principles in a real application.
Visit hologram.zoneReady to Build Your VUA?
Start creating decentralized applications that aggregate verifiable services and unlock the trust economy.