eIDAS, UETA & ESIGN Explained (Plain English)
If you've read about digital documents, you've seen these acronyms: eIDAS, UETA, ESIGN. They're the laws that say electronic signatures and electronic records are legally valid. Here's what each one means and how Bitcoin timestamping fits in.
ESIGN Act (US — federal)
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (2000) says: a signature, contract, or record can't be denied legal effect just because it's electronic. If a document would be valid on paper, it's valid as a file.
Satohash angle: a cryptographic timestamp is an electronic record of existence. Under ESIGN, that record has the same legal standing as a paper counterpart — and it's stronger because it's mathematically anchored.
UETA (US — state level)
The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act is the state-level twin of ESIGN. Adopted by nearly every US state, it says electronic records and signatures satisfy legal writing requirements.
Together: ESIGN covers federal law, UETA covers state law. A document stamped with Satohash benefits from both.
eIDAS (EU)
The eIDAS Regulation (2014/910/EU) is the European equivalent. It defines three levels of electronic signatures — and, crucially, it governs electronic time stamps: eIDAS Article 41 says an electronic time stamp shall not be denied legal effect or admissibility as evidence in legal proceedings solely because it is in electronic form. A qualified electronic time stamp (issued by an accredited time-stamping authority) is presumed correct in court.
Satohash angle: Bitcoin timestamping aligns with eIDAS's goal of trustworthy, long-term, verifiable time records. A Satohash stamp is strong, independently verifiable evidence of existence-at-a-time — it is not a qualified electronic time stamp, so it does not carry the eIDAS presumption of accuracy. Where the law requires a qualified time stamp, use an accredited service; Satohash evidence can complement it.
What this means for your documents
The honest fine print
- These laws recognize electronic records and timestamps as valid evidence — they don't guarantee a judge will rule a certain way. The proof is strong evidence of existence at a time, which is often exactly the disputed fact.
- For identity (who signed), pair your timestamp with a digital signature (like Nostr keys or a qualified e-signature service).
- Consult a lawyer for your specific jurisdiction and case — but bring the block height.
Prove it existed, forever: satohash.io/stamp
Stamp a file — free. File never leaves the device.