Microsoft, the software conglomerate, has introduced an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency wallet in the test version of its Edge browser. The new feature, which software researcher Albacore discovered, is called “Crypto Wallet” and will allow users to store and trade Ethereum and Ethereum-based tokens in a non-custodial way, acting as a Metamask clone.
Microsoft introduces Ethereum Wallet in its Edge browser
Cryptocurrency and Web3 projects are making inroads into mainstream software products. In accordance reports from Albacore, a software researcher, Microsoft is currently developing a separate wallet that will be part of its own browser, Edge. The new feature, called “crypto wallet”, will allow users to trade and store Ethereum and Ethereum-based tokens in a non-custodial manner.
In the available screenshots, Microsoft confirms the status of the project and warns the testers about the dangers of using their money in this wallet. It said:
As a tester, you will use your own funds. In case of loss of funds, Microsoft will not refund losses. This is a confidential project and no details will be shared externally.
This confirms that the wallet is still in the early stages of testing, and not ready for use by the general public yet.
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The new native crypto wallet, if finally released, will be a native competitor to Metamask, the most widely used Web3 wallet plugin, with the special feature that it will be included in Edge.
Bleeping Computer, a portal that had the opportunity to test the wallet, reported that it could confirm that the wallet supported different Ethereum accounts, where the user could switch between them at will, and it could be used with already existing Web3 apps. The wallet also includes a built-in Ethereum exchange, which has support for ETH, DAI, UNI, USDC and USDT.
Strings found in the software hint at the inclusion of a Bitcoin wallet at a later date, but the functionality is still not present. Microsoft did not confirm the existence of the crypto wallet. A spokesperson for the company stated:
At Microsoft, we regularly test new features to explore new experiences for our customers. We look forward to learning and gathering feedback from customers, but have nothing more to share at this time.
Microsoft has been very active when it comes to supporting Web3-related projects, participating in establishing standards for metaverse, and introducing metaverse features in the Teams app, although the recent layoffs have affected some of these projects.
What do you think of the native Ethereum wallet currently being tested in Microsoft Edge? Tell us in the comments section below.
Sergio Goschenko
Sergio is a cryptocurrency journalist based in Venezuela. Describing himself as late to the game, he entered the cryptosphere when the price spike occurred during December 2017. He has a computer engineering background, lives in Venezuela and is influenced by the cryptocurrency boom on a social level, offering a different point of view on crypto success and how it helps the unbanked and underserved.
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