ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
The rapid expansion of digital services has intensified concerns regarding identity security, privacy protection, and individual control over personal data, exposing limitations in conventional centralised identity systems. Blockchain-based Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) offers a transformative alternative by enabling individuals to securely manage and selectively disclose their digital credentials without reliance on central authorities; yet its adoption remains limited, particularly in developing countries. This study proposes a parsimonious framework to explain Malaysian graduates’ behavioural intention to adopt Blockchain-based SSI by integrating utilitarian and psychological determinants. Grounded in UTAUT2, Trust Theory, Privacy Calculus, Protection Motivation Theory, and Self-Determination Theory, the model focuses on five key drivers: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trust, perceived privacy risk, and perceived autonomy. By addressing the lack of context-specific and theoretically integrated models, the study offers a clearer understanding of adoption behaviour in decentralised identity systems. By clarifying the relative influence of functional benefits and psychological perceptions in decentralised identity adoption, the framework advances understanding of user acceptance in emerging digital ecosystems and provides actionable insights for policymakers and technology developers seeking to strengthen trusted, user-centric digital identity infrastructures.
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