Digital Badge Issuance Has Quadrupled Since 2022 — Are You Keeping Up?

The numbers are in, and they tell a story that higher education institutions and training providers can no longer afford to ignore. According to the 2025 Badge Count report — published jointly by 1EdTech and Credential Engine — total digital badge issuance has surged from 74.7 million in 2022 to over 320 million in 2025. That is more than a fourfold increase in just three years.

At the same time, the number of unique badges available to learners has more than tripled, rising from around 521,000 to over 1.7 million. And the participating badge platforms grew from 15 to 24, reflecting a marketplace that is expanding at every level.

This is not a niche trend. It is a structural shift in how learning is recognised, verified, and valued — and if your institution has not started exploring digital credentialling, you are already behind.

What is driving the surge?

Several converging forces are pushing digital badges from "nice to have" into mainstream adoption.

Skills-based hiring is now the norm, not the exception

Employers are fundamentally rethinking how they evaluate candidates. According to NACE's Job Outlook 2026 survey, 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring for entry-level roles — up from 65% the previous year. Seven in ten of those employers apply this approach at least half the time.

This means that what a graduate can demonstrably do matters more than ever. A badge that verifies a specific competency — issued by a credible institution, with transparent criteria and linked evidence — gives learners a tangible advantage in a competitive job market. It gives employers exactly what they need: quick, trusted verification of relevant skills.

The credentialling landscape is exploding

Credential Engine's Counting Credentials 2025 report found that the US alone now has 1.85 million unique credentials offered by more than 134,000 providers. Of those, over a million are digital badges. Badges have become the single largest credential category, overtaking certificates and degrees in sheer volume.

This is happening because learning itself has fragmented. People acquire skills through formal programmes, professional development, workplace training, online courses, and community-based learning. Badges provide a common, portable format to capture and communicate all of it.

Open standards are gaining traction in procurement

Open Badges 3.0 and W3C Verifiable Credentials have moved from niche technical discussions into institutional procurement conversations. Decision-makers are no longer just asking whether a platform can issue badges — they are asking whether those credentials will be interoperable, portable across systems, and verifiable without vendor lock-in.

This is particularly important for institutions operating across multiple countries. If you are a UK university with partnerships in Australia, or a training provider serving learners across the US and the Middle East, open standards ensure that your badges hold their value regardless of geography or platform.

Why does this matter for HEIs and training providers?

Your competitors are already doing it

The 2025 Badge Count identified that badge issuers now span a broad cross-section of the learning and employment ecosystem. Community organisations and non-profits issue badges through 76% of platforms. The most common badge type — offered by 90% of platforms — recognises demonstration of a specific skill or competency.

If your institution is not issuing digital badges, someone else is — and they are reaching your prospective learners with a more compelling value proposition. Micro-credentials and stackable badges are increasingly expected by students who want flexible, career-relevant recognition of their learning.

Regulatory pressure is building

Across the UK, US, and Australia, the regulatory landscape is shifting towards digital credentialling. The US is preparing Workforce Pell for 2026, raising the bar on quality for short-term credential programmes. In the EU, the European Digital Identity Wallet initiative is driving interoperability requirements. In Australia, the national micro-credentials framework continues to mature.

The pattern is consistent: what is voluntary today is becoming mandatory tomorrow. Early adopters position themselves advantageously; institutions that delay face the risk of scrambling to comply when requirements become non-negotiable.

Fraud is a growing reputational risk

Static PDF certificates are losing credibility. They are easy to forge, difficult to verify, and impossible to update. In an environment where 84% of HR and talent leaders report having suspected or encountered misrepresented skills on CVs — as found by Accredible's 2025 State of Credentialing report — verifiable digital badges are not just a convenience. They are a safeguard for your institution's reputation.

When an employer clicks on an Open Badge, they can instantly verify the issuer, the criteria, and the evidence behind the credential. That level of transparency builds trust in a way that a downloadable PDF simply cannot match.

What should you do now?

If you have not started your digital credentialling journey, the time to act is now. Here is where to begin:

Audit your current credentials. Which of your programmes, modules, or training outcomes could be represented as digital badges? Focus first on credentials that align with specific, employer-valued competencies.

Choose an open standard. Platforms that support Open Badges 3.0 protect you from vendor lock-in and ensure your credentials remain portable and verifiable long-term. Check the 1EdTech TrustEd Apps Directory for certified platforms.

Engage employers in design. The most valuable badges are designed with employer input. What skills are they struggling to verify? What competencies matter most in their hiring processes? Badges designed in isolation from the labour market are badges that do not get used.

Start small, then build pathways. You do not need to badge everything at once. Pilot with a single programme or cohort, gather feedback, and iterate. Then think about how individual badges can stack into meaningful pathways — from foundational skills through to advanced competencies.

Educate your learners. Badges are only valuable if learners understand how to use them. Help them share badges on LinkedIn, include them in job applications, and add them to digital portfolios. The visibility loop — where shared badges attract attention and drive further engagement — is what makes digital credentialling truly powerful.

The bottom line

Digital badge issuance has quadrupled in three years, and the pace shows no sign of slowing. The shift towards skills-based hiring, the explosion of the credential landscape, and the maturation of open standards are creating a world where digital badges are no longer optional for credible institutions.

The question is not whether digital credentialling will become the norm — it is whether your institution will be leading the charge or playing catch-up.

Want to explore how digital badges could work for your programmes? Get in touch with us to discuss how OpenBadges can enhance your learners' employability and your institution's credentialling strategy.