This article focuses on the role that widespread distrust (social and political) plays in preventing the emergence of a robust form of global democracy. Trust is especially important at the transnational level, partly because emerging institutions of global governance cannot resort to coercion to the same degree as domestic regimes, and, instead, need to rely on a higher level of voluntary compliance. The social and psychological limits of cosmopolitan allegiance suggest that we should shift the focus towards exploring the possibilities of an ‘institutionalist' approach to enhancing trust, and especially counteracting distrust, at the global level.