TL;DR:
ERC-7866 is a proposed Ethereum standard for decentralized profiles using Soulbound NFTs. It defines a minimal, extensible schema for on-chain identity that works across apps, chains, and user contexts — without relying on centralized identity providers.

🧩 Why Do We Need a Profile Standard in Web3?

Every decentralized app today builds its own user profile layer: one stores usernames in smart contracts, another uses IPFS-linked metadata, another relies on wallet-based OAuth.

Meanwhile, users end up with:

• Fragmented identities across platforms
• Inconsistent UX (you're 0xABC here, "john.eth" there)
• Poor interoperability between dApps
• Set your avatar on each dApp, and still not have control over it

DID specifications exist, but most are either too abstract or too coupled to off-chain resolution methods. Many aren't Ethereum-native, and few offer built-in support for reputation, staking, or verifiability.

ERC-7866 aims to provide a pragmatic, composable identity primitive that works for developers and users.

🧬 What Is ERC-7866?

ERC-7866 proposes a standard where each profile is represented as a Soulbound NFT — non-transferable, verifiable, and optionally delegated or staked.

Each profile is uniquely identified by:

• A username (e.g., alice.eth)
• A chain context (e.g., evm, solana, offchain, etc.)
• A binding to a wallet or entity

It allows you to represent a profile as:
alice@evm.soul or devguy@solana.soul
— readable, referenceable, and resolvable across chains.

🛠️ What Can You Build with ERC-7866?

Here’s where it gets exciting. This standard opens up a range of identity-layer apps and features that work across chains, wallets, and user contexts.

1. Composable Wallet Profiles

Let wallets generate and display ERC-7866 profiles instead of centralized profiles stored in their own DBs.
Users could plug their identity into any compatible wallet — with full control.

No need for Twitter handles or email-based signups anymore.

2. DAO Contributor Reputation

DAOs can issue ERC-7866 identities to contributors and attach metadata like contributions, skills, and roles. You can even stake tokens to vouch for someone’s legitimacy.

A lightweight, composable on-chain resume.

3. Gaming Identity + Avatars

Games often want player identities that aren't transferable but still portable. ERC-7866 provides a perfect fit:

• Avatar metadata
• Game-linked achievements
• Network-specific identity binding

Players get persistent identities without needing centralized accounts.

4. Cross-Chain Developer or Organization Registry

Think ENS, but generalized. A registry of developers or orgs who can create profiles like:
projectx@evm.soul, anirudha@cosmos.soul

Build GitHub-like org profiles — but decentralized, with verifiable roles.

5. Global Login Layer for Web3

ERC-7866 profiles could power a wallet-agnostic “Login with Web3” button, where the user's profile carries their public metadata, verification, and social proofs.

✨ Why Use ERC-7866 Over Other DID or Profile Standards?

Most DID frameworks:

• Are off-chain by default
• Require complex resolution systems
• Aren’t optimized for composable smart contracts

ERC-7866 is different because it’s:
✅ Ethereum-native and chain-agnostic
✅ Easy to integrate into existing NFT infra
✅ Soulbound (non-transferable by default)
✅ Supports delegation and staking
✅ DID-compatible but simplified for on-chain use

🧪 How You Can Contribute

ERC-7866 is still a draft proposal. This is the perfect time to get involved:

🧵 Discuss in the Ethereum Magicians thread:
https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/erc-7866-decentralised-profile-standard/22610

🧾 Review the EIP draft:
https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7866

📚 Read the background blog:
https://blog.anirudha.dev/decentralised-profile-standard

📦 What’s Next?

Working on:

• 🛠 SDKs for developers to create/resolve profiles
• 🚫 Gasless minting + delegation tooling
• 📖 Documentation for registry builders
• 🌉 DID-to-ERC bridge layers
• 🔍 Explorers + indexers for public identity graphs

Web3 needs better identity infrastructure — not more fragmented standards.

If you're building wallets, DAOs, social dApps, gaming platforms, or identity tooling — ERC-7866 might save you months of work, while promoting a shared, composable identity layer for the ecosystem.

Let’s build it together.

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