A Big Change for Cardano
The Cardano blockchain team, Input Output Global (IOG), has pulled the plug on their ambitious Atala Prism project. This project was supposed to revolutionize education and identity management in Ethiopia. The news came from a Discord message and was later confirmed by several insiders, but there’s been no official statement yet.
What Was Atala Prism?
Atala Prism aimed to use the Cardano blockchain to create secure digital identities. This technology would have allowed people to manage their own identities using Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs).
Back in October 2021, IOG partnered with the Ethiopian government to launch a national student and teacher ID system based on blockchain. This system was designed to track student performance, verify grades, and improve education across the country. The goal was to create a tamper-proof record for millions of students, teachers, and schools.
The Project’s Demise
However, things have changed dramatically. A Discord message revealed that the Atala project has been scrapped. A significant number of team members, including the entire product team, have been laid off.
A Shift to Hyperledger Identus
While Atala Prism is gone, IOG says they’ll continue working on the Hyperledger Identus project. A small group of Atala team members will transition to Input Output Engineering (IOE) to maintain and develop Identus.
Questions About the Future
The shutdown of Atala Prism raises questions about the future of Cardano-based identity solutions in Ethiopia and beyond. It’s unclear what will happen to the PRISM Sandbox, a platform designed for testing and developing identity solutions.
Charles Hoskinson’s Explanation
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson weighed in on the situation, clarifying that Atala Prism became Hyperledger Identus about a year ago. He emphasized that Identus is an open-source framework for identity applications, and its development will continue with community contributions. He also stated that other projects like Midnight, RealFi, and Lace will use Identus for their identity needs.
The Takeaway
The cancellation of Atala Prism is a significant development for Cardano and the broader blockchain identity space. While the project’s future is uncertain, IOG’s commitment to Hyperledger Identus suggests that they are still invested in developing decentralized identity solutions.
