Global Web Encryption Relies on Single U.S. Non-Profit, Raising Centralization and Geopolitical Risks

Introduction: The Critical Centralization of Web Encryption Infrastructure Beneath the ubiquitous "HTTPS" padlock in modern browsers lies a systemic vulnerability: the global web encryption infrastructure is overwhelmingly dependent on a single entity—Let’s Encrypt, a U.S.-based non-profit operating from a California datacenter. This dependency is not theoretical but a structural reality of the internet’s trust architecture. Let’s Encrypt dominates the issuance of digital certificates—cryptographic credentials that authenticate websites—accounting for 90% of the global market share. These certificates are indispensable for establishing encrypted connections; their absence renders websites inaccessible, disrupts e-commerce, and exposes global communications to plaintext interception. The risk does not stem from Let’s Encrypt’s operational inadequacy—its automated certificate issuance pipeline, processing 2.5 million certificates daily, has democratized encryption. Rather, the risk is in