The supposed screenshots show a Microsoft Web3 wallet for non-custodial crypto and NFTs that is built into Edge.
Microsoft is said to be working on adding a Web3 wallet that works with cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) to its Edge web browser.
Albacore, a software documenter who sometimes leaks information, posted what he said were screenshots of Edge’s user interface (UI) on March 17. The screenshots showed the early stages of the company’s new Web3 wallet.
“Newest in the gauntlet of questionable upcoming Microsoft Edge features, a crypto wallet not really sure how to feel about this kind of thing being baked into the default browser,” Albacore pessimistically noted.
Newest in the gauntlet of questionable upcoming Microsoft Edge features, a crypto wallet ? Not really sure how to feel about this kind of thing being baked into the default browser, what are your thoughts? More screenshots of the UI in the next tweet ➡️ pic.twitter.com/GAUPiZGLIY
The first picture is of a page that gives an overview of the Edge wallet. Microsoft seems to say that:
“We encourage you to test our first Web3 wallet and provide candid feedback along the journey.”
If this turns out to be true, it looks like Microsoft won’t have access to your passwords or recovery keys, and the wallet will be “embedded in Edge” instead of being a browser extension you install.
In the screenshots that go with this article, you can see that you can swap, send, and buy crypto assets. The crypto exchange Coinbase and the Web3 infrastructure firm MoonPay are shown as integrated platforms that help you buy and deposit crypto to your wallet.
In terms of NFTs, the UI simply states:
“Browse different marketplaces to find your first NFT, as you build your collection of NFTs, we’ll organize them here.”
Microsoft might do this as part of a recent effort to improve Edge’s features and offerings in a big way. Edge hasn’t been as popular as other browsers like Google Chrome and Apple Safari, so this would be another step in the right direction.
As part of new updates to both its Bing and Edge browsers, Microsoft announced on February 7 that AI-powered search engines and chat through OpenAI’s ChatGPT will be added.
