Validators

The engines of trust

Badges only carry weight if they are issued with credibility. In T-Rex, this credibility comes from validators, the mechanisms that check activity and mint Badges into the Passport. Validators are the engines of trust for the entire Persona layer.

There are four main categories of validators, each designed to cover a different surface of digital life:

• On-chain validators. These validators read directly from blockchains to verify holdings and actions. They can check token balances, NFT ownership, staking history, or interactions with specific contracts.

Example: This makes it possible to mint badges that prove financial stability, long-term participation, or specialized protocol usage.

• zkTLS validators. Some signals exist off-chain but can be verified privately. Through zero-knowledge and TLS proofs, zkTLS validators confirm Web2 credentials without exposing raw data. Examples include CEX balances, premium memberships, social reach, or developer reputation.

Example: A badge can confirm that someone has 10,000 followers on a platform or a verified account, without revealing the underlying details.

• Ecosystem validators. These validators recognize actions specific to T-Rex itself. They mint badges for early adopters, event participation, or educational programs such as student verification.

Example: They make it possible to highlight contributions that strengthen the T-Rex ecosystem directly.

• Social validators. These validators link handles and track verifiable actions on platforms. They help capture the softer but essential layer of reputation that lives in social environments.

Example: They extend the Persona to reflect community presence, governance proposals, or creator activity.

What makes validators powerful is their composability. New validators can be built openly and plugged into the system, expanding the range of signals that can be turned into verifiable proof. Because every validator attaches to the Passport, each new source strengthens the Value Graph, ensuring that personas stay accurate and trusted.

Validators turn data into reputation. They guarantee provenance, provide traceability, and ensure that every badge minted into a Passport is backed by real evidence. Without them, badges would be decoration. With them, personas become credible foundations for the next economy.