# Signatures on Blockchain

**Handwritten signatures** have served as a legally binding certificates for centuries, but the digital age required digital means of signing documents. **Electronic signatures** emerged to represent consent digitally (e.g. visual representations of signatures, or simply clicking an “I accept” button).\
However, electronic signatures do not provide a high guarantee of proof of identity for the signer or for the validity of the document. To solve this problem, **digital signatures** were adopted, which use cryptographic technology to better confirm the document signature is from a particular signer.<br>

In the past years, most governments have adapted their legislations to recognize the legal integrity of digital signatures (e.g.: UETA and ESIGN Act in the USA, eIDAS in the EU/UK).

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