Survey Results
Unique Badge Offerings Globally
Badge Achievements Awarded Globally
Badge Issuers Globally
Unique Badge Offerings Globally
Respondents collectively reported 1,708,774 badge offerings globally, with 1,022,028 of these being offered in the U.S.
In Open Badges 2.0, these figures represent the number of Badge Classes, whereas in Open Badges 3.0, they represent the number of Achievements.
These data represent the number of badges reported by the 24 respondents in 2025 and show a significant increase compared to prior surveys. However, data considerations complicate direct comparisons across different years of the Badge Count survey reports.
The table below presents the number of unique badge offerings globally for each year.
Achievement Types
Badges can be used to recognize a wide variety of achievements and credentials—such as completing a course, earning a certification, or demonstrating a specific skill.
From a list of options, badge platform providers were asked to select the types of achievements most often awarded using their platforms. Multiple selections were permitted, so the percentages do not add up to 100%. Additionally, a single badge may represent more than one type of achievement; for example, a short-term micro-credential might include multiple listed skills or competencies within a single badge.
The table below presents the complete breakdown of achievement types most often awarded by badge platform providers. The achievement type “Demonstrating a skill or competency” was selected by 90% of providers, making it the most common use of badges.
Badge Achievements Awarded Globally
Badge platform providers reported a combined 320,489,690 badge achievements awarded globally. This total reflects the scale of activity across the 24 respondents and represents a significant increase compared to prior surveys. However, data considerations complicate direct comparisons across different years of the Badge Count survey reports.
The table below presents the number of badge achievements awarded globally for each year.
Sharing Methods
Badges that utilize the Open Badges standard are digital credentials that an earner can share with others through various applications.
From a list of options, badge platform providers were asked to select the sharing methods most often used by badge earners. Multiple selections were permitted, so the percentages do not add up to 100%.
This table presents a complete breakdown of the sharing methods most often used by earners, according to badge platform providers. Respondents reported that badge earners most often share their achievements through social media platforms, with 74% of respondents indicating this method.
*Respondents selecting ‘Other’ typed the following additional sharing methods: direct link, Learning Management System (LMS), back of business card, showcased in classrooms, and printed PDFs.
Badge Issuers
The Badge Count survey also collected information about the organizations that issue badges on these platforms, referred to as issuers. It is important to distinguish between issuers and the survey respondents themselves—the 24 badge platform providers who participated in the survey.
The badge platform providers’ customers, such as colleges, certification bodies, and other organizations, are the actual badge issuers using these platforms to award badges.
Issuing Organization Types
Badge platform providers reported that a wide range of organizations use their platforms to issue badges. Nearly all respondents indicated that higher education institutions—both four-year colleges and universities and two-year colleges—are key participants in the badge ecosystem. However, the issuer base extends well beyond traditional education providers.
Badge Issuers Globally
Badge platform providers reported a combined total of 97,714 badge issuers globally, with 81,597 U.S. issuers.
Because some issuers may use multiple badge platforms, this figure may include duplication. It should be interpreted as an approximate count of the global badge-issuing community rather than a unique total.
The table below presents the breakdown of organization types reported by badge platform providers. Percentages are based on frequency across provider responses; totals exceed 100% because providers could select multiple organization types. The organization type “Community-based organizations or non-profits” was selected by 76% of badge platform providers, making it the most common.
Comprehensive Learner Records
Digital Credentials Standards
Open Badges
We asked about the use of the 1EdTech Open Badges 3.0 standard and the number of Open Badges 3.0 achievements issued. In prior versions of this survey, badge platform providers were using the previous version of the standard, Open Badges 2.0, which was replaced by Open Badges 3.0 in 2024.
At the time of this survey in mid-2025, 40% of badge platform providers reported issuing at least some badges using Open Badges 3.0, and collectively, they reported issuing 2,694,271 Open Badges 3.0 unique achievements. Many providers also continue to issue badges using the Open Badges 2.0 standard.
CLR Standard
We also inquired about the use of the 1EdTech Comprehensive Learner Record Standard™ (CLR Standard®) and the number of CLRs issued since the standard was released in 2021.
At this point, 22% of respondents reported issuing at least some CLRs, and collectively, they reported issuing 6,269,066.
Open Badges Achievements
Qualitative Results
The 2025 survey included one open-ended question, “What are the most important recent trends in the digital badge ecosystem?” Respondents referred to several major trends shaping the badge ecosystem:
- Standards adoption: Open Badges 3.0 and Comprehensive Learner Records were cited most often as major advances, improving interoperability, security, and metadata richness. Representative phrases: “Open Badges standards which allow for greater articulation,” “Ensure interchangeability of Open Badges 3.0,” “Open Badges general release, LER starting to gain traction.”
- Integration and infrastructure: Respondents highlighted growing connections with learning management systems, workforce platforms, and digital wallets, enabling verifiable and portable learner records. Representative phrases: “LMS integrations,” “digital wallets,” “trust registries,” “VC-API,” “collaborative co-issued credentials.”
- Shift toward skills-based credentials: Badges are increasingly used to document assessed skills and competencies, aligning with competency-based education and skills-based hiring. Representative phrases: “Badges used to support competency-based learning,” “highlight their key skills,” “people figuring out how to use them with assessment.”
- Trust and quality: There is rising attention to verifiability, standard frameworks, and quality assurance, partly in response to concerns about fraudulent credentials or misrepresented skills. Representative phrases: “Verifiability and rich metadata,” “frameworks defining how to implement quality microcredentials,” “fraudulent job candidates…need for trusted data.”
- Democratization and access: Several respondents emphasized maintaining the affordability and inclusive intent of Open Badges as the ecosystem evolves. Representative phrases: “Affordability and portable nature of badging must remain true to its original goal,” ”support career opportunities and candidates,” “attain their learning or career goals in whichever context they live.”