Bluesky is reportedly preparing to launch a new blue checkmark verification system that differs significantly from the one popularized by Twitter (now X).
Changes found in the platform’s public GitHub repository on Friday, as spotted by reverse engineer alice.mosphere.at, suggest that the decentralized social network will soon allow multiple organizations to serve as “trusted verifiers.”
Unlike X, which currently ties verification to paid subscriptions, Bluesky’s system will empower select organizations—such as reputable news outlets like The New York Times, to issue blue checkmarks directly. These verifications will appear as a blue circle with a white checkmark on user profiles, while trusted verifiers will be identified with a scalloped blue check icon. Users will also be able to tap on a blue check to see which organization issued it.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber had previously hinted at expanding verification beyond the company itself. Currently, users can verify their identities by linking their accounts to official domains, but this upcoming system appears to broaden the platform’s trust framework significantly.
A blog post titled “verification,” dated for April 21, 2025, was also discovered in the pull request, suggesting an official announcement could come as early as Monday. Bluesky has yet to comment publicly on the feature.
