Microsoft Edge could soon have a crypto wallet

[harlan4096]

It looks as if Microsoft Edge users can soon use a built-in crypto wallet to manage cryptocurrency assets directly in the web browser.

Barely a month passes by without Microsoft introducing another new feature in its Edge web browser. Just in the past couple of months, Microsoft introduced or launched the Bing Discover button, Super Video Resolution, Microsoft Secure Network, Text Prediction and Microsoft Edge Drop. Some of these features landed in stable versions of Edge, others were introduced to some testers.

Twitter user Albacore discovered the latest feature that Microsoft is working on integrating in the company's Edge web browser: a crypto wallet.

The native feature is a "non-custodial crypto wallet" that offers a simplified experience and "integrated security features" that protect users from insecure addresses or apps, according to Microsoft.



Testers who are selected by Microsoft for the test may create a new wallet or restore a wallet. Microsoft walks them through a series of introductory pages that explains the functionality and sets up everything in the browser.

The feature is managed via the internal edge://wallet/ address. It is currently used in Edge to display Microsoft Rewards points, offers, passwords and memberships. The new crypto wallet is accessed via edge://wallet/crypto, but it needs to be unlocked by Microsoft before it becomes available, even in the latest Microsoft Edge Canary builds.



The Crypto Wallet enables Edge users to swap, send and buy crypto currency. Its features include a watchlist, to track different crypto currencies, such as Ethereum, to buy currency on different marketplaces, with coinbase and moonpay supported initially, and to sell currency.  It offers options to add custom tokens and check out crypo-related news right from within the wallet.

Microsoft Edge would not be the first web browser with integrated crypto support. Brave Browser, another Chromium-based browser, has built in crypto currency support. It supports different currencies and the makers off Brave have integrated a rewards system into the browser; this system rewards users for seeing Brave Private Ads in the browser. Users earn the BAT, Basic Attention Token, crypto currency when they do.

It does not look as if Microsoft is going to integrate a similar system in its Edge browser.

Closing Words

Use of the crypto wallet is optional, but it will likely refire the age-old discussion about features in web browsers. Should the feature be integrated natively, or should Microsoft have selected the extension route instead for it?

Now You: what is your take on the integration?
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