Opera to Launch Built-In Cryptocurrency Wallet for Desktop Browser

Opera is launching its desktop web browser with built-in crypto wallet functionality, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph Wednesday, August 8.

The firm already offers a mobile crypto wallet as part of its beta version of Opera for Android, which launched in July earlier this year.

Opera cites "Strong interest" and an "Overwhelmingly positive response from the crypto community" to the mobile crypto wallet as the impetus for its latest move.

The new desktop version will work by enabling users to connect their desktop browser to their existing crypto wallet-enabled mobile app by scanning a QR code - a system that Opera has been using to synchronize desktop-mobile apps for several years, as for example, with its Whatsapp web client.

Using a connected mobile-desktop system means that the wallet can implement the phone's secure system lock to enable users to sign transactions using their fingerprints, rather than entering passwords into their browsers, which the press release notes is not only more efficient but potentially more secure.

The existing Android crypto wallet is 'user-controlled,' meaning that keys are stored on the phone rather than on a centralized server.

As with the mobile app, the desktop client will support tokens as well as digital collectibles, with product lead of Opera Crypto Charles Hamel commenting that browser integration represents a further step in "Making cryptocurrencies and Web 3.0. mainstream."

Opera's web and mobile browsers have notably included anti-cryptojacking software as of January this year.

In late June, unconfirmed rumors arose that popular brokerage and crypto trading app Robinhood would be offering native crypto wallet functionality, after the firm posted a job advertisement for cryptocurrency engineers that suggested it was investigating developing a wallet infrastructure.