Opera, the company behind the multi-platform web browser, has unveiled the latest update to its “Crypto Browser Project,” offering more users direct, user-friendly access to Web3 services with the arrival of the highly-anticipated version for iOS, according to Jorgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera.
Web 3 is gaining momentum, with a record 34 thousand developers having joined the space in 2021 to work on a growing number of dApps. Arnesen says the Web3-experience for users has, however, been oftentimes far from intuitive and traditionally not optimized for iOS users. With iOS support, Opera’s Crypto Browser, which is a dedicated web3 browser with a built-in non-custodial crypto wallet, is primed to take adoption and ease of use up a notch, he adds.
Opera Crypto Browser’s iOS release follows the earlier January beta release on Mac, Windows, and Android. Opera’s browser is tailored to the needs of veteran crypto users and new adopters alike.
Arnesen says Opera’s focus for the Crypto Browser Project is a simplified user experience across decentralized apps (dapps), games, and metaverse platforms. The browser also features a news and data aggregator named “Crypto Corner,” a bespoke start page focused on live crypto information and updates, crypto asset prices and gas fees, as well as crypto events, airdrops, and even podcasts.
In the Opera Crypto Browser Project, users gain access to an Integrated non-custodial Crypto Wallet supporting Ethereum, Polygon, and Celo blockchain ecosystems with more blockchain integration already on the roadmap. The browser’s key features include a non-custodial crypto wallet with the ability to buy crypto with fiat, send, receive, and swap the tokens of any supported blockchain, as well as seamless and direct access to decentralized exchanges, Web3-based NFTs, and gaming Dapps – including over 7,000 Polygon-based services. Web3 can be accessed as seamlessly as accessing any website on Web2.
The browser on iOS also boasts the ability to restore any Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible Wallet with the native Opera Wallet, allowing users to integrate their existing assets and balances into their Crypto Browser setup.
Arnesen says Opera’s Crypto Browser is also designed to address crypto’s growing pains. As Web3 is surging, users and developers increasingly look towards more efficient and environmentally-friendly PoS and Layer 2 chains which enable cheaper transactions and a much lower energy consumption than PoW blockchains.
To address this, Opera has partnered with Polygon and will be integrating more PoS chains in the future. Polygon consumes just 0.00079 terawatts (TWh) of electricity per year — significantly less than the energy-intensive Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain networks which average between 35 to 140 (TWh) per year.
You can download the Opera Crypto Browser for iOS here.
