The Opera Crypto browser integrates MetaMask ahead of Ethereum Merge

Opera Crypto Browser, a Web3-focused browser built to work with a variety of decentralized apps (dApps), now supports third-party wallets such as MetaMask.

The upgrade, which the Oslo-based company describes as “one of the most significant updates since its inception”, comes ahead of Ethereumhis transition from proof of work (PoW) consensus algorithm to a less energy-intensive one proof of effort (PoS) model, which is expected to happen later this week.

“The upcoming merger is the most important technological update in crypto history that will move Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, making it more scalable, secure, sustainable and ready to be used by mainstream users,” said Susie Batt, Crypto Ecosystem Lead at Opera, in an announcement shared with Decrypt.

According to Batt, Opera Crypto Browser is “the only browser that is truly ready for this shift and the only one that offers web users all the tools they need to try Web3 in a safe environment.”

Opera Crypto Browser is a standalone browser that was launched in January this year and works alongside the company’s traditional Web2 browser. Apart from the built-in support for dApps and a non-custodial crypto wallet, it also includes the Crypto Corner – a dedicated access point to the latest industry news, prices, key metrics like gas taxes and market sentiment, educational content and a calendar of upcoming events.

The mobile version of the Opera Crypto browser currently supports BitcoinEthereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, Celo, FIO, Near and Nervo’s blockchains and their respective tokens. Meanwhile, users of the desktop version can enjoy native integrations of Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Chain and Polygon.

“Overall, Opera aims to welcome as many crypto users as possible, which means integrating with a wide variety of blockchains and tokens – and this list will continue to grow in the coming weeks,” said Danny Yao, Senior Product Manager at Opera Decrypt.

Opera rolls out wallet picker, domain handle and more

The integration of third-party wallets through a feature called Wallet Selector means that in addition to the browser’s native non-custodial wallet, users can also choose any wallet extension available in the Google Chrome or Opera store to interact with a particular dApp or website.

The new Wallet Selector acts as an aggregator of different wallet extensions, automating the connection process by remembering users’ preferences for different websites.

“The browser’s built-in selector allows users to easily switch between different wallets via a simple user interface – but it does not have access to private keys or passwords used in third-party extensions. This means that Opera’s crypto browser does not introduce any additional security risks in itself, Yao said Decrypt.

The latest version of Opera Crypto Browser also introduces support for human-readable wallet and domain handles provided by services such as Yat, the creator of universal emoji usernames, FIO, as well as Ethereum naming service (UNESCO).

In addition, the project partnered with DappRadar, a popular platform that allows users to track, analyze and discover dApps. This collaboration gives the Opera Crypto Browser user access to all important metrics for more than 11,000 dApps across 48 protocols and in different categories, including NFTs, Gaming and DeFi.

“The integration of DappRadar’s rich trusted data into Opera’s Crypto Browser provides a great improvement for Web3 users, offering them a seamless solution that is understandable and convenient for both mobile and desktop users,” commented Yao.

The popular Binance Smart Chain (BSC) yield farming app PancakeSwap is also integrated with Crypto Browser and is available in its native crypto wallet. This integration allows users to trade tokens directly from their wallet without having to connect to an external dApp first.

On the security front, the latest upgrade also introduces a phishing detection feature that aims to protect users from hacking and phishing. This is achieved by blocking blacklisted phishing sites as well as adding a clipboard protection feature, which the company says will ensure that copied wallet addresses or account numbers are the same ones that are pasted.

In the coming weeks, the Opera Crypto browser will also introduce a malicious address checker to ensure that users interact with trusted smart contracts and are not scammed.

“This additional security feature helps Crypto Browser users to check, for example, if a smart contract is present on a special blacklist or has any malicious features encoded, i.e. already reported as a scam, rug pull, fake or malicious smart contract, and so on in the past,” Yao explained.