Credibility and legal standing

Signing to the highest standards Global credibility

Wthaiq is a documentation and evidence authority for transactions and contracts. We build our work on the international digital signature standards (AdES). Here we set out the signature formats, their levels of strength and their degrees of legal standing, and say exactly where we sit among them, without overstating anything.

PAdES format LTA level Identity verification by document and face

The AdES family — and ours is one of them

Three accredited formats — a format for every file type

A family of standards AdES (Advanced Electronic Signature) comes in three formats depending on the type of file signed. Wthaiq uses PAdES Because it is the best fit for contracts and documents in PDF format.

CAdES

for any data or file

A data-level signature (CMS) that works with any file type. It is the format the Egyptian Tax Authority token uses for signing.

Best suited to general data and miscellaneous files

PAdES

Purpose-built for PDF files

The signature is embedded inside the PDF file itself, so it appears and is verified directly in Adobe and any compatible reader — with no external tools.

The format Wthaiq uses When signing with the customer's token

XAdES

for XML files

A dedicated signature for XML files and messages, common in system-to-system integrations and electronic invoicing.

Best suited to exchanging data between systems

From the baseline — to long-term archiving

Every format has strength levels — from basic to strongest

Every level adds a verification layer that makes the signature stronger and longer-lived. And when a party signs with their own token, we embed their signature in the file and take it to the highest level: LTA.

Baseline

The signature + the signer's digital certificate.

The basics

Timestamp

+ An accredited timestamp that proves the exact moment of signing.

+ Timestamp

Long-Term

+ Verification data (certificate chains and revocation lists) stored inside the file.

+ Verification data

Wthaiq here — with a token

LTA

Long-Term Archive

+ An archive timestamp on the document that keeps the signature verifiable after the certificates expire.

Highest

B → T → LT → LTA · each level builds on the one before it

A global reference — eIDAS

Three levels of legal standing

Alongside the technical level there is a legal scale recognized worldwide, based on the European eIDAS standard. The highest the platform offers by itself is the advanced signature (AES) with identity verification. As for Qualified (QES) — it comes from the customer's token and their certificate, not from us.

SES

Simple Electronic Signature

Simple signature

Any electronic form of consent (a typed name or a button). Easy, but weaker as evidence.

The highest we offer — with identity verification

AES

Advanced Electronic Signature

Advanced signature

linked to the signer’s identity and reveals any later change.

Identity verification with an official document and a live face match
A one-time verification code at the moment of signing
A digitally signed record with an accredited timestamp

With the customer's token — we do not issue it

QES

Qualified Electronic Signature

Qualified signature — the highest

The strongest legal standing: a certificate from a licensed certification authority and a secure device.

The customer holds the certificate from a licensed authority they deal with directly
The private key never leaves the token and never passes through our servers
We embed their signature inside the file and preserve it at LTA level

What we prove — and what we do not issue

What we are good at — clearly, and without overstating it

Wthaiq is a documentation and evidence authority for transactions and contracts. We prove who signed and when, and we reveal any change made after signing. We do not issue certification certificates and we do not claim a license we do not hold.

Our role

A documentation and evidence authority — for transactions and contracts

Legal standing

AES — advanced, with identity verification

Format and level

PAdES-LTA — with the customer's token

SES · AES · QES

What you gain at each level

The feature	Simple signature	Wthaiq — with identity verification	Wthaiq — with the customer's token
Tying the signature to a verified identity	—	✓	✓
Detecting any change made after signing	—	✓	✓
Accredited timestamp	—	✓	✓
A completion certificate and an audit trail	—	✓	✓
Long-term archiving (LTA) inside the file	—	—	✓
A certificate from a licensed certification authority — held by the customer	—	—	✓
The legal level	SES	AES	QES

Questions commonly asked

Questions about credibility and legal standing

What is the difference between a simple, an advanced and a qualified signature?

A simple signature (SES) is any electronic form of consent. An advanced signature (AES) is linked to the signer's identity and reveals any change, and it is the highest we offer ourselves, through identity verification and a verification code. A qualified signature (QES) relies on a certificate from a licensed certification authority and a secure device, and is reached by whoever signs with their own token. Our role then is to embed their signature in the file and preserve it.

Is Wthaiq a licensed certification authority that issues digital certificates?

No. Wthaiq is a documentation and evidence authority for transactions and contracts, and it does not issue electronic certification certificates. We prove who signed and when, we reveal any change made after signing, and we preserve the full evidence file. Anyone holding a token with a certificate from a licensed authority signs with it here, and we embed their signature in the file and preserve it — the licensed authority is theirs, not ours.

Does a signature on Wthaiq carry legal standing?

Yes. The system is built on the electronic signature and electronic transactions laws in force. It answers the legally decisive questions: who signed? when did they agree? did the document change after signing? The answer comes from identity verification, the timestamp, the audit trail and the completion certificate.

What does PAdES mean and why do you use it?

PAdES is the advanced signature format built for PDF files. The signature is embedded inside the file itself, so it can be verified directly in Adobe or any compatible reader with no external tools — which makes it the right fit for contracts and documents.

What does LTA level mean and why does it matter to me?

LTA (long-term archiving) adds the validation material and an archive timestamp to the file, so the signature stays verifiable after the certificates used in it expire. The standard allows this timestamp to be renewed later to extend the verification lifetime. Important for documents that must live a long time: property contracts, government documents and bank records.

Can the signature be verified outside Wthaiq?

Yes. A file signed with the signer's token carries an embedded PAdES signature, so it can be opened and verified directly in Adobe Reader and elsewhere. In every case, Wthaiq provides a public verification page, reached with the verification reference or the QR code, that matches the document's fingerprint.

When do I need token signing instead of identity verification?

Identity verification is enough for most everyday contracts and transactions, with strong legal standing. Token signing suits high-value transactions, or cases where the receiving body requires a certificate from a licensed certification authority. Check that body's requirements first, then use your token here.

Sign to the highest standards of credibility

Start signing with legal standing, or see how Wthaiq integrates with your platform through the API.

Start signing now

For platforms and enterprises: API integration under your own brand, with identity verification and a full evidence file.