Opera was one of the first mainstream wallet solutions to integrate an accessible digital currency wallet. That wallet is useful for iOS and Android users, as they do not need to install separate applications. It now seems Opera will integrate support for both Solana and Polygon in a future update.
Opera Enhances Its Crypto Wallet
Many people were surprised when Opera announced the native integration of a cryptocurrency wallet. Even though demand for exposure to Bitcoin and other currencies rises, technology companies often maintain a hands-off approach to this industry. However, more and more users access crypto and blockchain solutions through the browser, particularly on mobile devices.
In that light, it makes more sense for Opera to integrate a crypto wallet into its Android and iOS applications. Moreover, being the first major browser to do so creates a strong first-mover advantage that other companies will need to chase. Consumers show a growing appetite for crypto, blockchain, decentralization, and Web3 exposure.
Per a recent announcement, Opera will support two new currencies in a future update. Enabling Solana support has been confirmed earlier, but the addition of Polygon is more recent news. It would make Polygon the first layer-2 solution for Ethereum to be supported in this wallet, paving the way for other solutions to receive a similar treatment over the coming months.
More importantly, it marks a crucial development for alternative networks providing functionality similar to that of Ethereum. Using the Ethereum network for DApps, smart contracts, decentralized trading, DeFi, and NFT purposes has been expensive for some time now. Layer-2 solutions like Polygon provide similar solutions but are much cheaper and more efficient to use.
A Gradual Rollout Plan
While Opera plans to beef up its mobile browser crypto wallet solution, it will take a while before everyone can access the new currencies. Therefore, a gradual rollout makes sense, and focusing on Android users first makes sense. Android is the most commonly used mobile operating system worldwide. Users on iOS will receive the update later on.
Moreover, there is a chance this functionality will expand to the browser’s desktop version. While Opera has not confirmed this plan of action, it would follow the previous development path for the overall crypto wallet functionality. As such, 360 million users can access the Polygon and Solana ecosystems through this browser.