Loading vLEI.wiki
Fetching knowledge base...
Fetching knowledge base...
This comprehensive explanation has been generated from 11 GitHub source documents. All source documents are searchable here.
Last updated: October 7, 2025
This content is meant to be consumed by AI agents via MCP. Click here to get the MCP configuration.
Note: In rare cases it may contain LLM hallucinations.
For authoritative documentation, please consult the official GLEIF vLEI trainings and the ToIP Glossary.
An IETF protocol (and working group) in development as of mid-2022 for enabling secure asset transfers between different blockchain systems, addressing cross-blockchain interoperability challenges.
The Secure Asset Transfer Protocol (SATP) is an IETF protocol and working group focused on enabling the secure movement of assets between different blockchain systems. As of mid-2022, SATP was under active development to address the fundamental challenge of blockchain interoperability—allowing value and assets to transfer across disparate distributed ledger technologies without requiring centralized intermediaries.
While SATP addresses blockchain-to-blockchain asset transfer, it represents a fundamentally different architectural approach compared to KERI's design philosophy. The contrast highlights KERI's inherent advantages:
KERI identifiers are portable by definition—they are not locked into distributed ledger silos. Unlike blockchain-based identity systems that may require protocols like SATP to achieve cross-system portability, KERI achieves this through its native hash-chained data structures:
SATP is not a KERI protocol component but rather represents an adjacent technology in the blockchain ecosystem. KERI implementations do not require SATP integration because KERI's architecture provides identifier portability through its native data structures rather than through cross-chain transfer mechanisms.
For systems that need to bridge KERI identifiers with blockchain-based assets, the Backer component provides an optional integration point where ledger-registered witnesses can anchor KERI events to blockchain systems. However, this is an optional enhancement rather than a core requirement—KERI identifiers remain fully functional and portable without any blockchain infrastructure.
The IETF SATP working group documentation can be found at https://datatracker.ietf.org/wg/satp/about/ for those interested in blockchain interoperability protocols.
These structures provide end-verifiable identifier portability without blockchain dependencies, eliminating the need for cross-chain transfer protocols for identity operations.
SATP focuses on asset transfer between blockchain systems, addressing challenges like:
KERI, by contrast, provides identifier portability independent of any specific ledger infrastructure. AIDs (Autonomic Identifiers) can be used across any system without requiring blockchain-specific transfer protocols. This architectural independence means KERI-based credentials and identifiers can move freely between contexts without the complexity of cross-chain asset transfer mechanisms.
In the vLEI (verifiable Legal Entity Identifier) ecosystem, KERI's ledger-independent architecture means Legal Entity credentials and role credentials maintain their verifiability across different organizational systems without requiring SATP-like transfer protocols. The GLEIF governance framework leverages KERI's portability to enable credential verification across diverse enterprise environments.