WalletConnect, the web3 communications protocol connecting wallets and apps, has released a demo video of its wallet-native Chat API, whose alpha release is slated for later this year.
Unveiled during a presentation by WalletConnect co-founder and CEO Pedro Gomes at ETHCC, Europe’s largest Ethereum event which takes place annually in Paris, France, the demo features iPhone, Android, and desktop wallet users exchanging messages, highlighting the Chat API’s cross-platform interoperability.
“WalletConnect’s mission has always been to empower web3 connections, so that we can open up brand-new use cases in this nascent space,” says Pedro. “As web3’s next frontier, chat represents a new level of user interaction, helping wallets evolve beyond transactions. Built on the WalletConnect communications protocol, which has become the standard for connecting web3 devices, our upcoming Chat API will enable wallets to expand the user experience and further cement their role as the all-in-one account of the future internet.”
The WalletConnect Chat API’s features include:
- Chat between any two wallets, regardless of chain and device. Any two users of a WalletConnect-enabled wallet can engage in chat. This is a significant departure from web2 chat services, where users must be on the same platform in order to do so.
- Participate on your terms. In order to be discoverable, users must opt-in, in which case they can be found by their wallet address or ENS name. Those who choose to restrict discoverability can also chat with others by sharing their details via QR code or link.
- Use one tool for messaging and money. Users can send messages alongside transactions, simplifying the experience and laying the groundwork for future use cases.
- Own your chat history. All messages are encrypted and only the chat’s participants can read them. Users can exercise self-custody of their message history, making it privacy-preserving and censorship-resistant.
- Keep your keys private. WalletConnect decouples wallet keys and instead employs a secondary key so that every user’s wallet details are kept private, preventing information leakage and spam.
WalletConnect has also concluded the beta phase for v2.0 of its Sign API, a remote signer protocol that facilitates an end-to-end encrypted connection between wallets and apps. Wallets can now integrate the release candidate to leverage cutting-edge features such as simultaneous multi-chain support, to allow users to send transactions to different chains at the same time. These features reflect WalletConnect’s agnostic approach, as it seeks to empower users wherever they choose to interact with web3, delivering an experience that is as seamless as it is secure.
