Microsoft testing a crypto wallet into the Edge browser

Microsoft is currently testing with ConsenSys the development of a non-custodial crypto wallet integrated in its Edge web browser. Rivals like Brave and Opera already have these features.

This initiative is a testament to Microsoft’s growing interest in web3 and its recognition of the need for more user-friendly tools for digital asset management.

According to a report from Cointelegraph, web3 wallet integration is currently being tested on the Canary version of the Edge browser, which is the most advanced version of the software. The feature is expected to support a range of cryptos, including bitcoin and ethereum, and allow users to send and receive digital assets directly in the browser.

Microsoft and several partners…

The news was first reported by technology news site Decrypt, which discovered a hidden prototype of the wallet feature in the Edge browser settings. The feature is password-protected and can be activated via the browser’s experimental flags menu.

Bleeping Computer was able to test the crypto wallet, which is currently only available to members of the Edge Dev Channel of the publisher in a restricted pilot. The tests are therefore on a non-custodial wallet.

This means that users retain control of their digital assets. Integrated into the browser, the wallet has the advantage of not requiring the installation of a specific extension or plugin.

According to published screenshots, Microsoft involves several partners in its developments. Thus, the wallet would offer integrations with crypto services such as Coinbase and Moonpay.

In addition, the application would support NFTs and crypto swaps, in the manner of a MetaMask for example. Its publisher and Ethereum expert, ConsenSys, is said to be a Microsoft partner.

A shareholder of ConsenSys since its last round of funding, the Redmond firm also collaborates with the Ethereum studio within the Aura blockchain consortium.

ConsenSys would have developed the functionality to exchange tokens (ETH, UNI, DAI, USDC and USDT) within Edge.

At Microsoft, we regularly test new features to explore new experiences for our customers,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Bleeping Computer.

So it’s still too early to guarantee the final deployment of the wallet to the browser’s user base. The project remains at this stage in the experimentation phase. The editor does not wish to make any further comments.