Northern Block / 4sure
Identity Toolkit / Platform
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License Mixed (Orbit Edge Wallet built on open-source Hyperledger Aries/Credo; Orbit Enterprise is proprietary SaaS; contributions to Aries Framework JavaScript)
Dev Status 🟢 Active
Dev Status Detail Released (production: NB Orbit Enterprise and Orbit Edge Wallet deployed with government and industry clients; trust registry pilots with IATA; partnership with Credivera October 2024; merger with Sphereon announced)
Owner Northern Block (merged with Sphereon to form 4sure Technology Solutions); Mathieu Glaude (Founder & CEO)
Country Canada (Toronto)
Start Year 2018
Stack JavaScript/TypeScript (built on Aries Framework JavaScript/Credo; Node.js backend)
Funding Undisclosed
Last Investigated Mar 9, 2026
Identity Toolkit / Platform Attributes
Origins Identity / Enterprise credential management (created to commercialize SSI for enterprise and government use cases)
Database Cloud (SaaS platform with Orbit Enterprise hosted infrastructure; credential schemas and trust registries)
Query Language REST API (Orbit Enterprise API; integration with existing enterprise systems)
Data Formats W3C Verifiable Credentials + AnonCreds + SD-JWT (multi-format support; JSON-LD)
Mobile Support Mobile support (Orbit Edge Wallet for iOS and Android; Aries Framework JavaScript based)
Web Support Yes (Orbit Enterprise web platform for no-code credential management)
Native Apps Mobile wallet apps (Orbit Edge for iOS/Android); web dashboard (Orbit Enterprise)
Terms Paid SaaS (Orbit Enterprise platform; tiered pricing; scalable usage)
Funds Undisclosed
Based On Hyperledger Aries; Hyperledger AnonCreds; Hyperledger Indy; Credo framework; W3C DID and VC standards; OpenID4VC
Permissions Commercial / Apache 2.0 Underlying Stack — NB Orbit Enterprise and Orbit Edge are commercially licensed products by Northern Block / 4sure Technology Solutions; no OSI-licensed source code for the platform is published. The underlying Hyperledger Aries frameworks (ACA-Py, Credo-TS/AFJ) are Apache 2.0 open source; Northern Block actively contributes to them. Open-source standards (W3C DID, VC, AnonCreds, AIP 1.0/2.0) are used throughout, avoiding vendor lock-in.
Development Tools Built on Hyperledger Aries open-source stack: ACA-Py (Aries Cloud Agent Python, Apache 2.0) for cloud/server-side agents; AFJ / Credo-TS (Aries Framework JavaScript, Apache 2.0, now OpenWallet Foundation) for mobile wallet development (Orbit Edge); AATH (Aries Agent Test Harness) for AIP compliance testing; AnonCreds specification (open standard) for ZKP credentials with CL signatures. NB Orbit Enterprise is a no-code SaaS platform built on these frameworks; the platform itself is not published as open source. Hyperledger Indy networks (Hyperledger Apache 2.0) used as the underlying VDR.
Authentication & Identity Decentralized ID (DID) with Aries-based agent architecture; passwordless authentication via VCs; organizational wallet identity
Storage Model Cloud (SaaS platform); credential data in holder wallets (mobile); trust registries hosted by Orbit platform
Interoperability High: Aries interop (AIP 1.0/2.0 compliance tested via AATH); partnership with Credivera for workforce credentials; IATA trust registry pilot; Government of BC integration; DIACC participation
Data Portability Standards-based export (W3C VCs; AnonCreds; open standards prevent vendor lock-in)
Governance & Decision Making Company-controlled (Northern Block / 4sure); active in DIACC, Trust over IP Foundation (ToIP), standards bodies
Identity Standards W3C DID; W3C Verifiable Credentials; Hyperledger Aries RFCs; AnonCreds; OpenID4VC; IETF High-Assurance DIDs with DNS
DID Methods Supported did:web, did:key, did:sov (Sovrin network), did:indy; trust registry DID resolution
Key Management Platform-managed (Orbit Enterprise manages organizational keys); user-controlled (Orbit Edge wallet with on-device storage)
Credential Types Verifiable Credentials (W3C VCDM); AnonCreds; mining permits (BC Mines Act); sustainability credentials (TSM); workforce credentials (Credivera); foundational IDs
Verification Method Cryptographic signature verification; AnonCreds ZKP verification (CL signatures; BBS+ planned); trust registry validation
Privacy Features AnonCreds (ZKP with selective disclosure, predicate proofs, compounding proofs, data minimization, connectionless verification); privacy-preserving proof requests
Authentication Methods Passwordless authentication via VCs; connectionless verification; QR code scanning; DIDComm
Revocation Mechanism Issuer revocation (supported in Orbit Enterprise); AnonCreds revocation registries
Agent Types Supported Humans (individuals via Orbit Edge wallet); Organizations (via Orbit Enterprise organizational wallet); Government entities (BC government integration)
Wallet/Client Types Mobile app (Orbit Edge Wallet); web-based (Orbit Enterprise dashboard); SDK integration
Recovery Mechanisms Wallet-dependent (device backup; platform-managed organizational recovery)
Compliance / Regulations Canadian government standards (DIACC Foundational ID, PCTF); UNTP alignment (UN Transparency Protocol for supply chains)
Credential Exchange Protocols DIDComm; Aries RFC 0037 (Present Proof 1.0); OpenID4VCI; OpenID4VP; Presentation Exchange; connection-based and connectionless exchanges
Trust Framework Trust registries (Orbit Trust Registry product); Aries-based trust; IATA trust framework for air travel; government-anchored trust (BC government)
Cost Model Paid SaaS (Orbit Enterprise tiered pricing)
Censorship Resistance Service provider dependent (SaaS platform; credentials in open standards are portable)