Coinbase launches its wallet as a standalone browser extension

Wallets • November 8, 2021, 12:00PM EST

Crypto exchange operator Coinbase announced Monday that its wallet is now available as a standalone browser extension.

Coinbase first introduced a downloadable browser extension of its wallet in May of this year. But that version allowed users to only link their wallet account to the extension, meaning transactions could be initiated directly via desktop but required user confirmation via their wallet mobile apps.

The new version, a standalone browser extension, allows users to directly access services, such as crypto trading, decentralized apps (dapps), and NFTs, all from their browser without confirming transactions on their smartphones.

"The previous downloadable Coinbase Wallet browser extension, while a step in the right direction, still required the user to have the Wallet mobile app installed, whereas the new version does not," a Coinbase spokesperson told The Block.

The news essentially means that Coinbase Wallet will now directly compete with wallets like MetaMask.

Coinbase's group product manager Sid Coelho-Prabhu said the company will continue working "to empower everyone to use dapps and web3 by building the easiest-to-use and most accessible self-custody wallet in the ecosystem."

For more breaking stories like this, make sure to follow The Block on Twitter.

About Author

Yogita Khatri is a senior reporter at The Block, covering all things crypto. As one of the earliest team members, Yogita has played a pivotal role in breaking numerous stories, exclusives and scoops. With nearly 3,000 articles under her belt, Yogita holds the records as The Block's most-published and most-read author of all time. Prior to joining The Block, Yogita worked at crypto publication CoinDesk and The Economic Times, where she wrote on personal finance. To contact her, email: [email protected]. For her latest work, follow her on X @Yogita_Khatri5.