Keybase launched in 2014 as a directory for public encryption keys and has since grown to include secure messaging and file-sharing features. Keybase profiles are meant to serve as the center of your online identity: Keybase verifies you, and it verifies that you actually own other online accounts that belong to you. From there, people can visit your Keybase profile and feel confident that any account claimed is an authentic one. Usually, these profiles include encryption keys that can be used to securely contact a person.