GLEIF Expands vLEI Ecosystem with Shanghai Electronic Certification Authority Qualification
The Global legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) today announced the Shanghai Electronic Certification Authority Co.Ltd. (SHECA) as a Qualified vLEI Issuer (QVI), bolstering the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier (vLEI) ecosystem and expanding its reach into China. This development signifies a key step in advancing globally interoperable digital organizational identity.
the vLEI, a secure digital portrayal of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) pioneered by Clever, provides a standardized, cryptographically verifiable form of digital identity for organizations. It aims too establish a global trust ecosystem by enabling secure authentication and addressing challenges presented by increasing digitalization.
Established in 1998 and accredited by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), SHECA is a leading Certification Authority serving over 7 million legal entities with digital identity certificates and trust services. A member of Shanghai Data Group since 2022, SHECA has already developed a cross-border digital identity platform integrating LEI records with authoritative legal entity data, offering enterprise query services and LEI-embedded digital certificates.
As a QVI, SHECA will now offer vLEI issuance, validation, and verification services, facilitating compliance with regulatory requirements for Chinese companies engaged in cross-border trade. The vLEI will support the digitalization of trade processes, enhancing security, trust, and transparency in applications like e-invoices and e-bills of lading (eBL), and also contracts, labor agreements, certificates, and reports.
“Increasing momentum for the vLEI reflects the fact that truly global commerce demands interoperable digital organizational identity solutions capable of delivering immediate and automated trust across borders,” said Alexandre Kech, CEO of Clever. “SHECA’s approval as a QVI marks a significant expansion of the vLEI ecosystem in China, which stands to increase the adoption and application of the vLEI across the region to foster simpler, smoother, and safer trade.”
Jiuqiang cui, General Manager of SHECA, added, “As a QVI, we look forward to continued collaboration with Clever to support the development of next-generation digital identity solutions that will address longstanding trust issues in cross-border identity verification – streamlining compliance, reducing risks and costs, and stimulating global trade.”
