Glossary

A glossary of key terms used across the human.tech ecosystem, written for a general audience.

Stamps

Individual identity verifications that users collect to build their Proof of Personhood. Each stamp is earned by verifying a specific platform (like GitHub, Google, or Discord), account, or on-chain activity. The more stamps you have, the higher your Unique Humanity Score. Stamps expire every 90 days and can be renewed for free by re-verifying.

Unique Humanity Score

A numerical score that indicates how likely you are to be a real, unique person — not a bot or duplicate account. The score is calculated based on the number and types of stamps you’ve collected. Each stamp carries a different weight. Platforms and programs can set their own score thresholds to decide who qualifies for access, airdrops, or grants.

SBT (Soulbound Token)

A non-transferable token minted on a blockchain that proves you’ve completed a specific identity verification (like government ID or biometric checks). Unlike regular tokens, SBTs cannot be sold or transferred — they’re permanently bound to the wallet that earned them. They serve as on-chain proof that a verification was completed.

Human Keys

Cryptographic keys derived from human attributes rather than random seed phrases. Instead of memorizing a 12-word recovery phrase, Human Keys use familiar authentication methods like passwords, biometrics, and security questions — with entropy added by the Human Network to make them cryptographically secure. This lets people create blockchain keys from only human data.

2PC (Two-Party Computation)

A cryptographic method that splits a private key into two separate pieces, or “keyshares.” One piece stays with you (derived from your login method), the other is held in a secure, inaccessible server enclave. Both pieces are required together to approve any blockchain transaction. This means no single entity — not even the company running the system — can access your funds alone.

PoCH (Proof of Clean Hands)

A compliance verification that confirms you’re not on international sanctions lists or regulatory watchlists, without revealing your identity. It uses government ID verification and biometric checks, combined with screening against 23+ international data sources (OFAC, INTERPOL, PEP lists, and others), all processed using encryption so no personal data is stored.

Clean Tokens

Tokens that have passed compliance checks before entering a privacy layer. On the Shield bridge, when you move assets from Ethereum to Aztec (a privacy-focused blockchain), they can be designated as “clean” (e.g., cUSDC) if you’ve completed identity verification and sanctions screening. This prevents unverified funds from entering the private system.

AVS (Actively Validated Service)

A service secured and validated by Ethereum token holders (stakers) rather than operated by a single company. Human Network runs as an AVS on EigenLayer and Symbiotic — thousands of independent operators run nodes that collectively manage distributed cryptographic keys. Participants stake collateral to prove they’ll operate honestly.

vOPRF (Verifiable Oblivious Pseudo-Random Function)

A cryptographic protocol that allows a server to help process authentication information without ever seeing the actual secret (like a password). The user’s input is masked before being sent to the server, processed securely, and then unmasked by the user. This ensures the server never has access to the original secret, enabling privacy-preserving authentication.