DEPI — Digital Estate Planning Institute

DEPI Platform Accreditation

DEPI Platform Accreditation is a formal recognition granted to digital estate, digital asset, and continuity platforms that demonstrate alignment with the DEPI Standards Framework and meet defined requirements for governance, security, transparency, and ethical stewardship.

Accreditation is designed to assess systems, not marketing claims, and focuses on how platforms operate across the full lifecycle of digital estates — before, during, and after incapacity or death.

DEPI accreditation is:

  • Vendor-neutral
  • Standards-based
  • Evidence-driven
  • Periodically reviewed

It serves as a signal of structural credibility, not endorsement or exclusivity.n for professionals, platforms, policymakers, and institutions navigating the rapidly evolving digital estate landscape.

Purpose of Accreditation

Why Platform Accreditation Matters

Digital estate platforms increasingly play a central role in how individuals store, protect, and transfer digital assets and post-life data. However, platform designs vary widely, and users often lack visibility into:

  • Custody and access models
  • Recovery and continuity mechanisms
  • Governance and auditability
  • Jurisdictional limitations
  • Ethical handling of digital remains

DEPI Platform Accreditation exists to provide independent, standards-based evaluation, helping:

  • Users understand structural risks
  • Fiduciaries assess platform suitability
  • Institutions compare governance maturity
  • Platforms benchmark against best practices

Accreditation does not replace legal compliance, but complements it with a technical and ethical governance lens. framework that can be adapted to jurisdiction-specific requirements.

Accreditation Methodology

DEPI accreditation is conducted using a structured, multi-domain methodology aligned with DEPI Standard v1.0.

Core Evaluation Domains

Accreditation assessments evaluate platforms across the following domains:

1. Architecture & Custody Model

  • Custodial vs non-custodial design
  • Control boundaries and trust assumptions
  • Dependency and lock-in risks

2. Access Control & Authorization

  • Role-based access mechanisms
  • Emergency and post-life access workflows
  • Multi-party authorization and escalation

3. Security & Cryptographic Governance

  • Encryption models
  • Key management practices
  • Recovery and continuity safeguards

4. Continuity & Transfer Processes

  • Trigger events and workflows
  • Documentation and execution paths
  • Auditability of transfer actions

5. Governance, Compliance & Transparency

  • Internal controls and oversight
  • Logging and traceability
  • Alignment with fiduciary and regulatory expectations

6. Ethics & Digital Remains Stewardship

  • Handling of post-life data
  • AI-generated or persistent identities
  • Respect for dignity, consent, and intent

Each domain includes defined assessment criteria, evidence requirements, and risk indicators.

Accreditation Process

Accreditation Lifecycle

DEPI accreditation follows a formal lifecycle to ensure consistency and integrity.

Step 1: Application

Platform submits an application and scope definition.

Step 2: Documentation Review

Review of architecture, policies, workflows, and governance materials.

Step 3: Assessment & Evaluation

Structured evaluation against DEPI standards and accreditation criteria.

Step 4: Findings & Determination

Issuance of findings, recommendations, and accreditation decision.

Step 5: Accreditation Grant

Successful platforms receive accreditation status for a defined term.

Step 6: Ongoing Review & Renewal

Accreditation is subject to:

  • Periodic renewal
  • Material-change disclosures
  • Standards updates

Accreditation may be suspended or revoked if requirements are no longer met.

Accreditation Scope & Limitations

DEPI accreditation:

  • Does not constitute legal advice
  • Does not replace regulatory approvals
  • Does not imply endorsement of commercial outcomes

Accreditation reflects structural alignment with DEPI standards at a point in time, subject to ongoing governance.

Recognized Platforms

This page will list platforms that have achieved DEPI accreditation, including:

  • Accreditation scope
  • Accreditation term
  • Applicable standards version
  • Listings are factual and non-promotional.

Benefits of Accreditation

Accredited platforms may benefit from:

  • Independent validation of governance maturity
  • Increased trust with users, fiduciaries, and partners
  • Clear alignment with emerging best practices
  • Early visibility into standards evolution
  • Eligibility for participation in DEPI working groups

Accreditation signals structural seriousness, not marketing superiority.