The Norway-based popular web browser operator Opera has partnered with a blockchain advisory and financial services firm Ledger Capital to further explore applications and use-cases of the blockchain technology that could be applied to Opera products. Ding’an Fei, Managing Partner at Ledger Capital said:
"Opera has already taken the lead among the major browsers, with the integration of the innovative crypto wallet and investments from other leading crypto companies like Bitmain. We are looking forward to exploring the next steps in how Opera will leverage its massive ecosystem and technical competencies to create exponential value for its user base and the greater blockchain space.”
Opera is already quite active in the blockchain space. It has a built-in crypto wallet into its mobile browser - Android, which means internet users no longer need to install separate decentralized application (Dapp) browsers or crypto wallet extensions. It was beta launched in July of this year. In August, it launched a desktop or PC web browser with built-in crypto wallet functionality. With this, Opera PC browser users gained access to the crypto wallet present in their mobile Opera for Android browser and are able to browse Web 3.0 and use Dapps on their computers while signing payments securely with their fingerprint on their phones. Charles Hamel, Product Lead of Opera’s crypto wallet said:
“Having a crypto wallet in the browser brings the cash experience to the world of online payments. Paying with the crypto wallet is like sending digital cash straight from your phone, and we’ve just made it easier. This opens up new possibilities for merchants and content creators alike.”
In September, Opera expanded the private beta version of its n-browser crypto wallet 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. While in January of this year, Opera also introduced crypto-jacking protection feature for its mobile device users, which was already there for its PC users. This new feature was launched for both Opera for Android and Opera Mini as part of its ad blocker feature.
Opera has also seen investment from bitcoin mining giant Bitmain, which holds a 3 percent stake, according to its recently published initial public offering (IPO) prospectus. Opera got listed on Nasdaq in July 2018 under the ticker OPRA. In connection to this, Opera gained concurrent private placements from Tospring Technology (Bitmain), IDG China Capital Fund III L.P. (IDG Capital Fund) and IDG China Capital III Investors L.P. (IDG Capital Investors and together with IDG Capital Fund, 'IDG'). Upon the completion of the IPO of Opera, the parties purchased US$50,000,000, US$9,529,000 and US$471,000, respectively, of ordinary shares.