Overview
Banks, credit unions, and wealth providers can let customers delegate controlled account access to an adviser or support person using Verifiable Credentials.
Why it matters
Delegated access is common but often difficult to audit and revoke. Verifiable Credentials provide clear, portable proof of authority, scope, and expiry.
Ecosystem roles
- Issuer: The account provider and relevant regulator.
- Holder: The delegated agent or adviser.
- Verifier: Service channels and account systems that enforce access decisions.
Assurance and lifecycle
Delegation credentials should include explicit scope, duration, and status checks so access can be updated or revoked quickly when circumstances change.
| Objective | Enable controlled delegated access to financial accounts. |
| Description | Issue and verify credentials that prove an agent can act on a customer account within defined limits. |
| Actors | Customer; Financial agent; Account provider |
| Dependencies | Trust registry and status checking services are available. |
| Preconditions | The customer has approved a valid delegation request. |
| Postconditions | The agent can perform only approved account actions during the authorised period. |
flowchart LR
CUST@{icon: "fa:user", label: "Customer", pos: "b"} -->|Approves delegation| BANK@{icon: "fa:building-columns", label: "Account provider", pos: "b"}
BANK -->|Issues delegation VC| WAL@{icon: "fa:wallet", label: "Agent wallet", pos: "b"}
REG@{icon: "fa:scale-balanced", label: "Regulator", pos: "b"} -->|Issues licence VC| WAL
WAL -->|Present delegation + licence| VER@{icon: "fa:id-badge", label: "Service channel", pos: "b"}
VER -->|Check issuer, scope, status| TR@{icon: "fa:book", label: "Trust registry", pos: "b"}
VER -->|Grant constrained access| ACC@{icon: "fa:file-contract", label: "Account platform", pos: "b"}
sequenceDiagram
participant Customer
participant Provider as Account provider
participant Regulator
participant Wallet as Agent wallet
participant Verifier as Service channel
participant Registry as Trust registry
Customer->>Provider: Approve delegated account access
Provider-->>Wallet: Issue delegation VC (scope + expiry)
Regulator-->>Wallet: Issue licence VC
Wallet->>Verifier: Present credentials for account action
Verifier->>Registry: Validate issuer, scope, and status
Registry-->>Verifier: Valid
Verifier-->>Wallet: Access granted within policy
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