In any system of trust, there must be a source.
There must be a recognized authority that creates the credential, mints the certificate, and validates the claim. This role is not just a function; it is a position of profound responsibility. It is the Issuer.
This is the landmark for the definitive source of truth. It is for the certificate authority, the university registrar, the government agency, or the platform that empowers anyone to issue trusted credentials to the world.