A leading web browser Opera now allows users to send crypto collectibles, such as CryptoKitties, directly from its recently launched in-browser crypto wallet. The company first introduced browser with crypto wallet in July of this year and now is expanding the private beta version with two new functionalities. One, the ability to send crypto-collectibles like CryptoKitties directly from your wallet and two, receiving the notifications about transaction progress and completion.
Opera claims it is the first app to offer the ability to send crypto-collectibles directly from your wallet, something that previously required visiting a digital marketplace and trading them. Opera believes that this is only the beginning of the crypto-collectibles trend and as the technology and usability improves, more online games and other services will adopt such tokens. It also sees the possibility for these unique tokens to unlock access to content or verify eligibility for certain digital services.
Crypto-collectibles are cryptographically unique, non-fungible digital assets. CryptoKitties, for example, is one of the world's first video games to be built on blockchain technology. You can buy, sell, or trade your CryptoKitty like it was a traditional collectible, secure in the knowledge that blockchain will track ownership securely. Opera says it has made sending crypto-collectibles as easy as sending money via Venmo in the U.S. or Vipps or Swish in Scandinavian countries and feels this makes them more tangible from a user’s perspective. Opera for Android with Crypto Wallet supports Ethereum, All ERC-20 Tokens as well as a curated list of ERC-721 Unique Tokens/Collectibles.
The second feature that Opera has introduced to its in-browser crypto wallet is the transaction notifications. It says that the current blockchains and wallets are not instantaneous when it comes to showing transaction notifications and hence, users are not aware of what is happening between the moment they have made a transaction and before it’s actually completed. The Opera in-browser crypto wallet will now soon provide transaction notifications whenever there is something new in your wallet - receiving a payment, a token or a collectible.
Last month, Opera also announced that it is launching a desktop web browser with built-in crypto wallet functionality. Opera PC browser users will gain access to the crypto wallet present in their mobile Opera for Android browser. This means they will be able to browse Web 3.0 and use Dapps on their computers while signing payments securely with their fingerprint on their phones.