RE: RUBI: A Self-Sovereign Identity-Based Retroactive UBI System - Seeking Community Feedback

Dear W3C-CCG Community,

 

I wanted to follow up on my initial email about Retroactive Universal Basic
Income (RUBI) to clarify some key points that may have been misinterpreted.
I realize that the term "UBI" often carries strong preconceived notions, and
I want to highlight why RUBI is fundamentally different from traditional UBI
models.

 

Rethinking Monetary Creation, Not Just Distribution

 

Most discussions on UBI focus on distributing money-but my core question is:


Who gets to create money in the first place, and on what terms?

*	Traditional UBI models distribute money without addressing the
fundamental process of monetary creation.
*	Existing financial systems-whether fiat-based or decentralized-often
reward early adopters disproportionately (e.g., proof-of-work and
proof-of-stake models).
*	RUBI flips this by ensuring that everyone-whether they join on day
one or decades later-receives an equal share of newly created money,
retroactively calculated from birth.

 

A Self-Regulating Model Governed by the Community

 

RUBI is designed to be a self-regulating economic system rather than an
arbitrary payout scheme:

 

*	Monetary Issuance is Democratically Governed: The community
collectively decides how much UBI is issued per day based on governance
mechanisms.
*	Demurrage Prevents Hoarding & Accumulation: This mimics the natural
cycle of life-just as people are born, live, and pass on, so does their
money. It's a system where money doesn't endlessly accumulate but circulates
in proportion to the living population, and idle money evaporates.
*	Fairness is a Core Principle: Unlike traditional monetary systems,
RUBI ensures money creation is fair across generations, rather than
privileging those who entered the system earlier (Example: Gold, Traditional
Commercial bank created debt based money, Cryptocurrencies, etc).

 

Why This Follow-Up?

 

I suspect that some may have dismissed RUBI as "just another UBI scheme,"
but this is a deeper rethinking of economic principles, not just a handout
system. I'd love to get feedback from those interested in monetary
governance, self-sovereign identity, and decentralized economic models-even
if you don't agree with UBI in general.

 

What are the strongest objections that come to mind? Where do you think this
model falls short? Even if you don't believe in UBI, I'd love for you to
engage with this as a thought experiment-where would you challenge it?

 

Looking forward to hearing any thoughts or questions. I'm happy to clarify
anything that seems unclear.

 

Best,
Nivas

 

From: nivas.cool@gmail.com <nivas.cool@gmail.com> 
Sent: 19 March 2025 00:41
To: public-credentials@w3.org
Subject: RUBI: A Self-Sovereign Identity-Based Retroactive UBI System -
Seeking Community Feedback
Importance: High

 

Dear W3C-CCG Community,

 

I hope you're doing well.

 

I wanted to share an idea that intersects Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI),
decentralized governance, and Universal Basic Income (UBI): Retroactive
Universal Basic Income (RUBI). I have attached a one-page explanation of the
concept, breaking down the mechanics.

 

What is RUBI?

 

RUBI is a framework that proposes a globally governed, open-source monetary
system where:

*	Personhood credentials (SSI-based) ensure UBI eligibility while
preventing fraud.
*	Democratic governance enables citizens to vote on UBI rates and
demurrage policies.
*	Retroactive UBI ensures individuals receive compensation based on
their birthdate, correcting past economic exclusion.
*	Interoperable and competing digital currencies operate with
open-source governance to prevent speculation.

 

Seeking Community Feedback

 

I would love to hear your thoughts on any aspect of this concept, whether
from a technical, governance, economic, or interoperability perspective.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

*	The feasibility of integrating SSI-based personhood verification
into such a system.
*	Political possibilities of making such a system come to reality.
*	Design considerations for privacy.
*	Potential alignment with existing decentralized identity frameworks
or monetary governance models.
*	Broader implications and challenges of a retroactive UBI approach
within a decentralized ecosystem.

 

I understand that UBI itself can be a controversial topic, and I welcome
discussions on its feasibility, having worked with the International
Movement for Monetary Reform (IMMR) on sovereign monetary policies. However,
I wanted to keep this conversation focused on the identity, governance, and
interoperability aspects. If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to elaborate
on the economic rationale separately.

 

Why I'm Sharing This Here

As someone early in my career and transitioning from a technical background
into public policy, I want to ensure that I take a well-informed approach in
integrating governance and identity frameworks into broader economic
systems. I greatly value the experience and insights of this community and
would appreciate any perspectives-whether on feasibility, challenges, or
alternative approaches-that could help refine this idea.

 

I would also like to extend special thanks to Manu and Harrison, who
encouraged me to step forward and participate in this discussion rather than
hesitating. Their encouragement means a lot.

            

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

Best,
Nivas Sivaprakasam
Exploring SSI & Monetary Reform for Global Inclusion

Nivas Sivaprakasam | LinkedIn
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/nivas-sivaprakasam-57972128/>