The did:key Method v0.7

Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are a new type of identifier for verifiable, decentralized digital identity. These new identifiers are designed to enable the controller of a DID to prove control over it and to be implemented independently of any centralized registry, identity provider, or certificate authority. These sorts of identifiers often utilize a heavy-weight registry, such as ones utilizing Decentralized Ledger Technologies (DLT), to create, read, update, and deactivate DIDs. This specification describes a non-registry based DID Method based on expanding a cryptographic public key into a DID Document. This approach provides the simplest possible implementation of a DID Method that is able to achieve many, but not all, of the benefits of utilizing DIDs.