The Decentralized Archival Resource Key (dARK)
A decentralized, scalable solution for persistent identifiers in scholarly communication. Developed by Ibict with support from LA Referencia and SCOSS funding.
Lautaro Matas, LA Referencia�Washington Segundo, Ibict
The Inequity Challenge
Access to global research infrastructure is often unequal. Many institutions in the Global South face significant financial and technical barriers. This limits their participation in the global scholarly communication landscape, creating a digital divide.
PIDs are crucial for linking research outputs. However, current PID systems can exclude institutions with limited resources. We must develop solutions that promote true global inclusiveness.
Challenges in the Global South
Costs
Traditional PID systems impose financial barriers for institutions.
Centralized Models
Reliance on centralized systems limits accessibility and sustainability.
Limited Participation
Barriers hinder full engagement in global scholarly discourse.
Key Motivations
Need for Decentralization
Reducing dependency on centralized models
Research Assessment
Building robust research graphs and indicators
Global South Challenges
Addressing lack of persistent identifier coverage
ARK as Alternative
Viable, low-cost solution for local providers
Archival Resource Key (ARK)
Cost-Effective
Organizations can generate unlimited identifiers at no cost.
Flexible
Designed for reliable referencing of information objects.
Greater Control
Institutions maintain control over their data and metadata.
https://arks.org
Long-term Objectives
Open Infrastructure
Non-centralized system for unique persistent identifiers accessible to all
Resolution Services
Decentralized resolution service interoperable with other PID services
Metadata Preservation
Decentralized preservation of metadata for consistent research graphs
Introducing dARK
What is dARK?
A decentralized, blockchain-based implementation of the ARK Persistent Identifier standard.
Why ARK?
Open, flexible, and cost-free to use; well-suited for institutions with limited resources.
Built as a Public Good
Supported by IBICT (Brazil) and LA Referencia, with funding from SCOSS.
Core Principles
Openness, decentralization, interoperability, and long-term preservation of research assets.
dARK leverages the open ARK standard with blockchain technology.
This creates a robust, community-governed PID system. It prioritizes accessibility and long-term viability for global research.
Why Decentralization Matters
Empowers Local Institutions
Organizations can create, manage, and resolve their own PIDs, reducing dependency on external agencies.
Reduces Financial Barriers
No per-identifier or annual fees; shared infrastructure dramatically lowers operational costs.
Ensures Digital Sovereignty
Control over metadata and research assets stays with national and institutional actors.
Increases Resilience and Sustainability
A distributed system prevents service disruption even if some nodes fail or exit the network.
Fosters Open and Transparent Governance
Participating institutions co-govern the system, encouraging equitable and sustainable practices.
Decentralization is key to a more equitable research ecosystem. It puts control and resources directly into the hands of local institutions. This fosters self-reliance and sustainability.
Technical Implementation
Blockchain Consortium Network
Nodes hosted by institutions collectively store and control data.
Commodity Hardware
Institutions can set up nodes using existing platforms.
Abstraction Layer (API)
Handles metadata transfer, authentication, and system interactions.
Global Resolver Integration
Enhances discoverability through n2t.info resolver.
System Architecture Overview
Service Layer
Interfaces with users and external systems through specialized components
Core Layer
Built on permissioned blockchain with Proof of Authority consensus
Service Layer Components
dARK Resolver
Enables persistent identifier resolution through nt2.info system
dARK Minter
Creates and registers new PIDs in the system
dARK Dashboard
Provides monitoring and administrative capabilities
dARK API
Facilitates communication with the underlying blockchain
First implementation: Oasisbr Aggregator (Brazil)
NAAN Assignment
ARK Alliance assigns prefixes to institutions
Mass Mintings
System for bulk PID creation implemented
Metadata Enrichment
Metadata update with ARK pid and shared with the repository
Global Resolution
Integration with n2t.info enhances discovery
Brazilian Open Science Ecosystem
5.5M+
Digital Objects
Aggregated in the Oasisbr portal
1,600
Open Access Sources
Contributing content to the platform
125
Digital Repositories
Brazilian institutions participating
600K
dARK PIDs Assigned
During the pilot phase
Next Step: Expanding Across Latin America
Building on the success in Brazil, dARK is ready for broader adoption. LA Referencia will facilitate expansion to other Latin American countries. This will further enhance regional research infrastructure. The goal is to create a stronger, more connected research community.
Training and support will be provided to new participating institutions. This ensures smooth integration and maximizes the benefits of decentralized PIDs. Collaboration is key to this expansion.
Expanding and Innovating Federated Open Science Infrastructure in Latin America (2026–2028)�IOI / LA Referencia
A three-year initiative led by LA Referencia to strengthen and expand the regional open science infrastructure with support from the IOI Fund. This project builds a more equitable, interoperable and sustainable ecosystem for research outputs across Latin America.
Component A
Expansion of the aggregation platform + AI/LLM services (semantic multilingual search, enrichment)
Component B
Deployment and scaling of dARK, a decentralized ARK PID service with an open plugin model for repositories
Component C
Regional data repository for orphan/underserved datasets + a federated support program for institutional platforms
All outputs released as open-source, aligned with FAIR, COAR, OpenAIRE and international best practices. The initiative focuses on regional sovereignty, long-term sustainability, and inclusion of all Latin American countries.
Component A – Strengthening Aggregation and Enabling Multilingual Discovery
Infrastructure Expansion
Expansion of harvesting and aggregation infrastructure to 10 new national nodes by 2028, with full alignment with OpenAIRE Guidelines, COAR vocabularies, and FAIR practices for metadata quality and interoperability.
Multilingual Semantic Search
Development of a multilingual semantic search engine using open LLMs for meaning-based discovery (ES–PT–EN and beyond)
AI-Powered Enrichment Pipeline
Seamless Integration
Integration with existing platforms and national ecosystems through open APIs
Component B – dARK: Decentralized ARKs for Resilient, Public Good, and Sovereign PIDs
dARK implements ARK persistent identifiers over a permissioned Hyperledger Besu blockchain with IPFS for distributed metadata preservation. This provides a regional PID service as public-good, auditable, and interoperable with existing repository workflows.
ARK Minting and Resolution
Core capability for creating and resolving persistent identifiers
Replicated IPFS Storage
Distributed storage of metadata packages for preservation
Dashboard and Governance Tools
Management tools for PID authorities
Plugin Architecture
Lightweight connectors for platforms to issue ARKs through dARK
Scaling from the Brazilian pilot to at least 10-country federated network by 2028.
Component C – Regional Dataverse Data Services and Capacity Building for Latin America
Creation of a regional data repository using Dataverse to support researchers without institutional data services, long-tail and orphan datasets, and regional programs requiring shared stewardship.
1
2026
Alpha version + helpdesk and training resources in ES/PT
2
2027
Controlled beta and pilots
3
2028
Full service with shared governance and sustainability model
Federated support program to assist institutions deploying or improving Dataverse. Strengthens regional capacity through documentation, training, onboarding, and technical assistance, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient research data ecosystem across Latin America.