> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://trustbok.ishare.eu/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://trustbok.ishare.eu/apply-ishare/participant-registry/how-it-works.md).
# How It Works
Although the Participant Registry is not explicitly shown in operational data exchange flows, it plays a critical role as a prerequisite for trusted interactions.
A typical sequence of how it is used can be described as follows:
While the Participant Registry plays an important role within the iSHARE Trust Framework, it typically operates in the background rather than directly interacting with participants. Instead, it provides the trust context that enables interactions to take place, as illustrated in this[ use case](https://ishare.eu/ecosystem/ishare-in-data-spaces/dvu/).
Without this layer, participants would need to establish trust manually, significantly reducing scalability and interoperability.
### Importance and Value
The Participant Registry is a foundational component for enabling trusted, scalable, and interoperable data spaces.
#### Benefits for different stakeholders
