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Identity Onboarding

Overview​

From Polymesh v8, onboarding on Polymesh is only based on DID registration. To access identity and asset related functionality, a key must be linked to an on-chain identity (DID).

Accounts used only for POLYX transfers and staking (excluding validator activities) do not require a DID.

DID registration paths​

Polymesh supports two onboarding paths:

  1. Self-registration
    • A user registers a DID for their own key by submitting identity::self_register_did and paying the transaction fee.
  2. Registrar-assisted registration
    • A permissioned DID registrar registers a DID for a target user key using identity::register_did and pays the transaction fee.

This two-path model lets users onboard directly while also supporting platforms that prefer managed onboarding for user experience reasons.

DID registrars​

DID registrars are permissioned identities that can register new DIDs for other keys.

Registrars are managed through on-chain governance (via PIP/governance process) and are intended for entities that want to offer simplified onboarding to users who may not yet hold POLYX for fees.

register_did and self_register_did​

identity::self_register_did() is fully permissionless: any account not already linked to an identity can call it to register a DID for its own key.

identity::register_did(target_account) is registrar-gated: only an active DID registrar can call it, to register a DID for a target key.

Important behavior in v8:

  • DID existence is the onboarding requirement for identity and native asset related usage.
  • Neither extrinsic supports secondary key onboarding.
  • Legacy cdd_register_did and cdd_register_did_with_cdd remain available as deprecated, registrar-gated transition paths, but no longer attach a CustomerDueDiligence claim.

CDD claim legacy context​

The CustomerDueDiligence claim type remains available for compatibility, but it no longer serves as the functional onboarding gate in v8.

Asset issuers can continue to enforce issuer-specific KYC/compliance requirements using claims and compliance rules.