I'm Christopher Allen, an entrepreneur, technologist, and advocate for trust, security, and digital sovereignty. My journey began with co-authoring the IETF TLS internet standard, the foundation of secure web commerce. Over the years, I've been privileged to contribute to the evolution of self-sovereign identity (SSI) and decentralized identity standards.
My career path includes roles such as Principal Architect at Blockstream, VP of Developer Relations at Blackphone, and CTO of Certicom. Currently, I lead Blockchain Commons, focusing on cryptographic security, open infrastructure, and ensuring that individuals—not corporations or governments—control their own digital destinies.
My approach to technology is deeply rooted in values that prioritize human dignity, individual autonomy, and security by design. I believe that trust and transparency should be fundamental to digital infrastructure, ensuring that people—not corpor