TL;DR

• Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new digital ID concept called “pluralistic identity” focused on privacy, flexibility, and decentralization.

• He warns that even ZK-wrapped one-ID systems could risk erasing pseudonymity in crypto and online spaces.

• The proposal is a direct response to growing concerns over biometric ID systems like Worldcoin, backed by Sam Altman.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has laid out a new approach to digital identity that seeks to balance privacy, decentralization, and human verification without collapsing everything into a single identity system.

In a new blog post titled  “Does digital ID have risks even if it's ZK-wrapped?”, Buterin introduces the idea of pluralistic identity, where users can maintain different forms of verifiable identity across platforms instead of being locked into a one-size-fits-all ID tied to real-world data.

This proposal comes amid growing momentum for zero-knowledge (ZK) digital ID systems, particularly those promising a future of bot-free voting, Sybil-resistant governance, and cleaner social media feeds. But as Buterin cautions, even the most privacy-focused approaches can carry risks.

One ID to Rule Them All?

Buterin specifically critiques the trend of “one-ID-per-person” models, which verify uniqueness but force all interactions through a single identity. That includes projects like Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, which scans users’ irises and issues them a World ID and token rewards (WLD) in exchange.

While Worldcoin uses zero-knowledge cryptography to obscure raw biometric data, Buterin argues that it doesn't solve the full picture.

Those risks, In a world where personal safety and digital targeting are real concerns from doxing to drone surveillance, users need options for pseudonymous interaction.

The Pluralistic Alternative

Buterin’s vision of pluralistic identity rejects centralized issuance models whether run by governments, foundations, or biometric orbs in favor of a more flexible and interoperable system. The idea is to let users combine different proofs of identity (humanity, uniqueness, reputation) across platforms, depending on context.

Instead of a global ID, pluralistic identity would rely on multiple, overlapping identifiers, none of which are mandatory or dominant. And in many cases, cryptographic techniques like ZK-proofs could still verify certain traits (like being human) without revealing sensitive details.

This system could allow someone to post in a governance forum with one ID, vote on a DAO with another, and earn rewards from a game using a third, all without connecting those actions to a single identity thread.

Final Thought 

As digital identity becomes a bigger part of crypto and online life, Vitalik’s call for a “pluralistic” model is a timely reminder: privacy and decentralization should evolve together. Instead of one global ID for all, users need flexible systems that protect their freedom and data. The challenge now is building tools that reflect those values before the space settles into something more rigid.