Cosmos' Keplr wallet to add EVM support in bid to serve modular community

Keplr, the most popular wallet app on the Cosmos blockchain ecosystem, is adding support for Ethereum and its Layer 2 blockchains — in a move to strengthen its position as a multi-layer wallet solution.

Created by Tony Yun and Josh Lee in 2021, Keplr has become the dominant wallet app on Cosmos, now counting more than a million transacting users each month. Its latest integration is expected to allow users to view and manage Ethereum-based assets directly within the wallet interface.

According to Lee, the integration of Ethereum support with Keplr is expected to draw a broader user base — particularly appealing to those active across Cosmos and chains based on execution environments such as Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Additionally, it aims to support emerging modular projects that utilize both ecosystems.

“A big percentage of Keplr users are now both using it and an EVM wallet, and we’re trying to serve them as the kind of up-and-coming modular community,” Lee told The Block. Lee further explained that the Cosmos software stack has been used to develop modular projects such as Initia, Dymension, Saga and Celestia.

Supporting the modular community

Such modular projects are based on Cosmos. Various rollups launched on top of these networks can be typically EVM-based, requiring the use of wallets such as MetaMask. The users of such rollups represent an additional user group Keplr aims to reach by incorporating EVM compatibility into its wallet.

“It’s a natural progression for Keplr to support them,” Lee added.

EVM support in the crypto wallet is set to go live in beta within a few weeks, though the timeline remains tentative.

Lee outlined the technical aspects of adding EVM support to Keplr, including the use of EIP-6963 for multi-injected providers. This will ensure that the wallet app can be used simultaneously without disrupting usage patterns across wallets or compelling them to switch back and forth between wallets.

He further explained that the project's initial focus was on building a cross-chain, multi-chain wallet, and the EVM integration is an important step in that direction. He added that the EVM support is intended to serve existing Keplr users who also use EVM wallets, rather than competing with MetaMask.