Blockchain Timestamp vs. RFC 3161 Trusted Timestamp
Compare blockchain-anchored hashes with RFC 3161 TSA tokens and how ProofIt can use both.
Published 2026-08-12 · Updated 2026-09-15 · ProofIt Editorial
Direct answer
A blockchain record anchors a hash in a public, decentralized ledger. An RFC 3161 trusted timestamp is a digitally signed time assertion from a single accredited Time Stamping Authority (TSA) over a hash. They are complementary evidence types with different trust models, not competing alternatives.
Definitions
RFC 3161 is an IETF standard defining a request/response protocol for TSA tokens: you send a hash, the TSA signs a response asserting 'I observed this hash at this UTC time,' using a certificate chain that traces back to a recognized certificate authority. Blockchain anchoring instead depends on a decentralized network of validators recording the hash (directly or via a smart contract) in a transaction, with the time derived from the block it's included in.
How the trust models differ
An RFC 3161 token's trustworthiness rests on the TSA's certificate chain and its accreditation—verifiable independently of ProofIt using standard cryptographic tooling, as long as you keep the token itself. A blockchain record's trustworthiness rests on the security and decentralization of the underlying network (Ethereum, in ProofIt's case)—verifiable by anyone who can query the chain, without needing to trust any single company, including ProofIt, to still exist or keep records. Using both gives you two independent lines of evidence that don't share a single point of failure.
Worked example
Certify a file with ProofIt and both mechanisms can run: the hash is submitted to the TSA for a signed RFC 3161 token, and separately registered on Ethereum. If ProofIt ever became unavailable, the RFC 3161 token can still be independently verified using its certificate chain, and the Ethereum transaction can still be looked up directly on-chain—neither depends on ProofIt continuing to operate.
Where ProofIt fits
ProofIt can store Sectigo RFC 3161 tokens alongside certificates and register hashes on Ethereum in the same certification flow. TSA tokens remain independently verifiable indefinitely if you retain the token file yourself; ProofIt-hosted certificate access follows the retention policy described in what happens to a timestamp when a subscription ends.