The Opera Web browser now supports 8 new blockchains including Bitcoin (BTC), Polygon (MATIC) and Celo. A major advance in the world of Web 3.0, which should set an example to other browsers.
Opera to support 8 new blockchains
In a report published yesterday on its blog, the famous web browser Opera announced that it will support 8 new blockchains: Bitcoin, Polygon and Solana, as well as StarkEx, Ronin, Celo, Nervos and iXO.
Opera’s executive vice president Jorgen Arnesen commented on the rollout:
“The average Internet user may still be hesitant to try Web3, but with the integration of Solana, Polygon and others into our mobile browser, they can now access these technologies from the safety and familiarity of the browser that provides a dedicated Web3 experience.”
The stated goal is clear: to facilitate access to decentralized applications and services (dApps).
The company chose the Solana blockchain because of its high scalability, its extremely low transaction costs, and also because it is energy-efficient. Indeed, Solana uses a proof of stake (PoS) that solicits validators rather than miners to validate transactions on the blockchain.
Opera also chose Polygon to seamlessly integrate millions of users into the Web3 world and to do so in an environmentally friendly manner. Polygon has a fast, scalable and very low cost environment.
In addition to Solana and Polygon, the Opera browser also provides access to the Ethereum layer 2 ecosystem via StarkEx powered by StarkWare and the decentralized exchange DeversiFi. This integration allows for 100 times faster transaction support compared to Ethereum’s main network.
Finally, Opera also plans to leverage the Ronin sidechain, which houses the popular Axie Infinity blockchain game and its entire ecosystem.
As mentioned earlier, Opera has also turned to Nervos, IXO, Celo and Bitcoin.
A browser already present in Web 3
As a reminder, Opera is one of the oldest browsers, this one having been created in 1995 by the company Opera Software. Since the growth of the blockchain ecosystem, Opera has been leaning towards Web 3.0 as it launched its first web browser with a built-in Ethereum wallet and native Web3 support in July 2018.
In January 2022, the company announced the public beta version of its new Web 3-focused standalone browser called Crypto Browser. This new browser natively supports dApps and integrates its own crypto wallet.
Opera has also developed “Crypto Corner”, a sort of content aggregator relaying the latest news related to cryptocurrencies, prices, market sentiment, a calendar of events as well as other features. The browser even offers access to educational content for beginners.
Jorgen Arnesen makes no secret of his desire to become a model for Web 3:
“Since we started in the Web3 space in 2018, we have sealed partnerships with blockchains […] to accelerate the evolution of crypto from proof of concept to mass adoption. […].They [users] need a superior user experience and a real advantage.”
