Opera Crypto Browser, the Web3-based web browser that supports decentralized blockchain applications, from Opera Software now supports the crypto wallet MetaMask, the company said Tuesday, ahead of the much-anticipated Ethereum Merge upgrade that’s expected to be completed tonight.

Opera launched the Crypto Browser in January to give users easy, direct access to Web3 technologies such as blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, applications, nonfungible tokens, games and metaverse applications without the need for additional applications.

Web3 is the name given to the next iteration of the web, called the decentralized web, built on blockchain technology where applications run peer-to-peer without the need for centralized services and support token economies. Fundamental to entering into these economies are wallets.

MetaMask is one of the most popular crypto wallets on the market with more than 10 million monthly users as of August 2021. It is now supported by the crypto browser along with hundreds of other wallets. Users can select the wallet of their choice with a new Wallet Sector feature, as long as they are available as Opera or Chrome extensions.

Opera chose to launch this feature ahead of an event happening with Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by market cap, that will switch its energy-intensive “proof-of-work” validation system for a “proof-of-stake” system, known as the Merge. That will lower the amount of energy that the blockchain uses by over 99% and set it up for future upgrades that will make it more scalable and secure.

“The upcoming Merge is the most important technological update in the history of crypto that will move Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, thus making it more scalable, secure, sustainable, and ready to be used by the mainstream user,” said Susie Batt, crypto ecosystem lead at Opera. “Opera is the only browser truly ready for this shift and the only one offering web users all the tools they need to give Web3 a try in a safe environment.”

The crypto browser also provides features that make it simpler for users to use Web3 decentralized applications, called dapps, with their wallets. It seamlessly integrates and resolves human-readable wallet domain names using crypto handles such as “Jane@opera” and Ethereum Name Service domains such as “example.eth.”

In addition, the Opera Crypto Browser has partnered with DappRadar, a service that tracks and analyzes dapps to produce valuable metrics about markets, behaviors, details and other information, in order to provide users access to more than 11,000 decentralized applications.

All of these dapps are now accessible through the crypto browser as easily as they would be through any other browser, through the address bar. Users identify themselves by using one of their wallets, which is accessed via the Wallet Selector.

“The development of the world’s first crypto browser is a realization of our aims to provide the tools that enable open access to Web3,” said Batt. “Not only have we provided a gateway into Web3, but we’ve also simplified many everyday processes native to the crypto space that may previously have confused the average web user.

The Opera Crypto Browser is available for download on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac. The Wallet Selector is available on the desktop versions of the browser.

Image: Opera Software