The Chromium-based Edge browser started off as a sleek and fast alternative to Google Chrome, but Microsoft has added more unnecessary features over time. One feature reportedly in development could be the worst example yet: a crypto wallet.
Twitter user Albacore, who has a history of turning on and documenting in-development features in Windows and Microsoft apps before they are announced, shared screenshots of a crypto wallet in development for Microsoft Edge. The feature advertises itself as having “integrated security features to protect you from unsecure addresses or apps” and “simplified experiences that make Web3 easier to interact with.”
Microsoft Edge walks you through setting up a secure password for your crypto wallet, and once you’re done, you can send and receive cryptocurrency. It’s not clear which cryptocurrencies are supported, but Coinbase and MoonPay are listed as options for purchasing and depositing crypto, and cryptos like Ethereum and Dai Stablecoin are visible in the screenshots.
Microsoft Edge wouldn’t be the first web browser to implement crypto features. Opera has pivoted to crypto features over the past few years, even going as far as to create a dedicated Opera Crypto Browser. The dedicated app has an integrated crypto wallet, support for DApps (web apps that integrate with blockchains in some way), and the ability to mint NFTs.
It’s strange to see Microsoft (supposedly) working on a crypto wallet for Edge, especially after most of the hype and attention around cryptocurrencies have faded away over the past year. The cryptocurrency ecosystem is still reeling from the collapse of exchanges like FTX and BlockFi, and AI has largely replaced crypto as the current tech trend, with the popularity of services like ChatGPT and Bing Chat. Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, recently gave up on its NFT and crypto wallet efforts as the company is pivoting to AI research.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft to ask if the feature was real, and a spokesperson told How-To Geek, “At Microsoft, we regularly test new features to explore new experiences for our customers. We look forward to learning and collecting feedback from customers but have nothing further to share at this time.”
Source: Albacore (Twitter)
