Today in crypto, Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new kind of digital identity system dubbed “pluralistic identity,” XRP’s price spikes after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse gives an update on the SEC legal battle. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump sidestepped questions on divesting from crypto ventures amid political pressure over digital asset bills.
Vitalik introduces ‘pluralistic’ IDs to protect privacy in digital identity systems
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new kind of digital identity system dubbed “pluralistic identity,” arguing it could protect privacy while enabling fair participation in digital life.
In a blog post published Sunday, Buterin explored the promise and pitfalls of zero-knowledge (ZK) proof-wrapped IDs, warning that even privacy-preserving systems can carry serious risks if they rigidly enforce one identity per person.
The Ethereum (ETH) mastermind noted that many new digital ID projects use zero-knowledge proofs to let users prove they have a valid ID without revealing personal details. Examples include World ID, which has surpassed 10 million users, Taiwan’s digital ID project, and European Union initiatives increasingly adopting ZK technology.
“ZK-wrapping solves a lot of important problems,” he wrote, but warned that “ZK-wrapped ID still has risks,” especially because enforcing one ID per person can undermine pseudonymity and expose users to coercion.
XRP spikes 3% after Garlinghouse says Ripple dropping SEC cross-appeal
XRP’s price jumped over 3% on Friday just hours after Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse said the company is dropping its cross-appeal against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and expects the regulator to do the same.
“Ripple is dropping our cross-appeal, and the SEC is expected to drop their appeal, as they’ve previously said,” Garlinghouse said in an X post on Friday. XRP , the cryptocurrency associated with Ripple Labs, spiked 3.36% to $2.18 just five hours after the post, according to CoinMarketCap data.
“We’re closing this chapter once and for all and focusing on what’s most important – building the internet of Value. Lock in,” Garlinghouse added.
Trump sidesteps question on crypto divesting to pass key bills
US President Donald Trump didn’t answer a reporter’s question on whether he would divest from his family’s crypto ventures in order to ensure passage of key cryptocurrency legislation, saying only that if the US didn’t have crypto, China or other countries would.
"Many Democrats have said that they are not going to support crypto bills in Congress only because of you and your family's personal crypto ventures," a reporter said to Trump during a press briefing at the White House on Friday.
Asked whether he would consider divesting from his crypto ventures to ease political pressure on digital asset bills on Congress, Trump responded:
"I became a fan of crypto, and to me, it's an industry. I view it as an industry and I am president. And if we did not have it, China would, or somebody else would, but most likely China would love to, and we have dominated that industry.
We have created a very powerful industry, and that is much more important than anything that we invest in," Trump said.
