From Google Chrome to Safari to Mozilla Firefox to Microsoft Edge, we use web browsers every day. In recent years, a new type of browser has appeared with the emergence of Web3 technologies: crypto browsers such as Brave, Opera Crypto Browser or Osiris Browser. What is a crypto browser? What are their advantages? Check out our top 3 best crypto browsers.
- What is a crypto browser?
- What are the benefits of using a crypto browser?
- Brave, a crypto browser around its BAT token
- Opera Crypto Browser, a bespoke Web 3.0 browser
- Osiris Browser, a crypto browser based on the Acent blockchain
- Conclusion on crypto browsers
What is a crypto browser?
A crypto browser , also referred to as a blockchain-based browser, is a term referring to a web browser that supports Web 3.0 technologies and its applications like decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
This new type of browser serves as a bridge and interface between the Web 2.0 experience as we know it and the decentralized Internet made possible by Web 3.0 tools.
Crypto browsers thus include features centered on Web 3.0 and combine classic Internet browsing with access to decentralized applications (dApps).
These browsers play a crucial role in the democratization of the decentralized Internet . At the time of writing, very few browsers have been designed with the intention of supporting Web 3.0 and making these technologies accessible to as many people as possible, without necessarily having advanced knowledge in the field.
Indeed, the majority of individuals do not know exactly how Web 2.0 works, but they are able to interact with it thanks to Web browsers which make its use simple and intuitive.
Crypto browsers have a similar purpose for Web 3.0, and are therefore particularly suitable for individuals interested in cryptocurrencies , non-fungible tokens and especially decentralized finance thanks to the integration of many features neglected by traditional browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
What are the benefits of using a crypto browser?
This is a legitimate question, and the answer lies in the possibility of browsing Web 3.0, which offers a number of advantages .
Traditional web browsers are not ideal for those interacting with blockchain-related services. The latter have a business model based on the sale of user data , and we regularly observe flaws in the protection of the latter.
Crypto browsers focus precisely on data privacy and the importance of it . This is one of their major strengths.
Thus, this emphasis on decentralized navigation allows for a safer user experience. Some features are very practical. For example, most crypto-browsers offer a built-in VPN to protect your IP address on public servers. When you interact with an exchange or any other application, your activity will be concealed and your device traffic will be encrypted.
Another very interesting feature offered by crypto browsers is the native integration of an ad and cookie blocker . Thus, the user’s data is protected and the confidentiality of the latter is ensured. The experience is therefore more anonymous and non-intrusive.
At the same time, this makes it possible to make these browsers faster and more efficient during use , since they are relieved of all advertisements and trackers.
Typically, a crypto browser also offers a native digital wallet . The latter, configurable directly from the crypto browser , allows you to buy, receive, send, store and exchange cryptocurrencies.
It is also an access portal to the various decentralized applications (dApps) and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Finally, crypto browsers generally offer native integration of the InterPlanetery File System (IPFS), a distributed Web 3.0 file sharing network, in other words an infrastructure for decentralized Web data.
Thus, users of crypto-browsers can easily access content hosted on IPFS directly with ipfs:// addresses, without using web extensions.
Recaps on the advantages of crypto browsers
Here is a summary and non-exhaustive table of the advantages offered by crypto browsers:
| Classic web browser | crypto browser | |
| Native digital wallet | Nope | Yes |
| Native VPN | Nope | Yes |
| Native access to dApps and DeFi | Nope | Yes |
| Native ad blocker | Nope | Yes |
| Native cookie blocker | Nope | Yes |
| Native IPFS integration | Nope | Yes |
To conclude, a crypto browser offers the same functionality as a traditional web browser, with the addition of tools related to cryptocurrencies and Web 3.0 natively.
It is worth pointing out that extensions can indeed be installed on classic web browsers to obtain similar results, but this lacks practicality, security and above all, extensions slow down browsers.
You have now decided to use a crypto browser, but you don’t know which one to choose. This article is here to help with a brief presentation of the three best crypto browsers. Here is a brief comparison before diving into the details:
| Brave | Opera Crypto Browser | Osiris Browser | |
| Operating system | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS | Windows, macOS, Android and iOS | Windows, Android and iOS |
| Native Wallet | Brave Wallet | Opera Crypto Wallet | Metawallet |
| Ad and cookie blocker | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in VPN | Only on mobile | Yes | Nope |
| Direct access to a DeFi portal | Nope | Ape Board | dAppstore |
Brave, a crypto browser around its BAT token
Available on all operating systems, Brave is surely the most famous Web 3.0 crypto browser. For good reason, it is the first crypto browser to have ever existed. Based on the Google Chrome (Chromium) framework, Brave focuses on data privacy in particular .
It is for this reason that Brave is very similar to Chrome in its design. But the comparison stops here since Brave is a crypto browser.
This crypto browser has all the advantages mentioned above, such as the natively integrated Brave Wallet . It is a wallet supporting all the blockchains compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), therefore the BNB Chain, Fantom or Avalanche, as well as all Ethereum layer 2 solutions such as Polygon.
Figure 1: Overview of Brave Wallet on Brave Crypto Browser
It should be noted that at the time of writing these lines, only the mobile versions of Brave offer a natively integrated VPN. The versions on computers do not have any.
The real particularity of Brave lies in its economic system concerning advertisements and its native cryptocurrency: the BAT .
Concretely, Brave users have the choice to activate or not the appearance of advertisements during their navigation. In exchange, these will be remunerated in BAT tokens . These advertisements are based on the interests of the user, but this data remains confidential and never leaves the browser.
Users also have the ability to donate BAT tokens to support individuals or a website directly from the browser. However, it is necessary to have registered as a creator to be able to receive these tips.
Opera Crypto Browser, a bespoke Web 3.0 browser
Opera is already a recognized name in the realm of traditional web browsers. The company behind this project, Opera Software, launched its own browser dedicated to cryptocurrencies in January 2022: Opera Crypto Browser .
Available on all operating systems, this newcomer caused a sensation thanks to the many features it offers.
Opera Crypto Browser includes all the elements mentioned above. A non-custodial native wallet, the Opera Crypto Wallet , is available. At the time of writing these lines, it supports the Ethereum, Polygon, Bitcoin and BNB Chain blockchains.
In addition to the native integration of Telegram and Discord directly on the browser, a tab entitled ” Crypto Corner ” is offered. This aggregates the latest news relating to the cryptocurrency industry. It also gives the possibility to configure this page by displaying in real time the course of 5 cryptocurrencies as well as other key statistics.
Other interesting features are available there, such as educational content related to cryptocurrencies, a calendar displaying airdrops and upcoming events and even collections of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The Opera Crypto Browser also stands out for offering a VPN on all media , mobile and computer.
Finally, access to decentralized finance (DeFi) is natively integrated into the browser via Ape Board , an interface listing 398 DeFi protocols on 36 different blockchains, something to delight Web 3.0 enthusiasts.
Figure 2: Overview of Ape Board on Opera Crypto Browser
Simply click on a protocol to access it. Most of the protocols operating on Ethereum and the BNB Chain also allow you to directly connect your Opera wallet in one click. Ape Board is thus very convenient for DeFi users .
Finally, there are many Opera Crypto Browser partners : Polygon, Celo, Solana, Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and many others, with the aim of collaborating and ultimately offering the ultimate Web 3.0 experience on a browser.
Osiris Browser, a crypto browser based on the Acent blockchain
Available on mobile (iOS and Android) as well as on Windows, Osiris Browser is a Hong Kong crypto browser developed by Acent and based on the blockchain of the same name . This is the latest entrant for this type of product, so how does it stack up against Brave and Opera Crypto Browser?
Osiris Browser, like the other two, offers most of the advantages mentioned above. A native wallet is integrated into it (only on Windows at the time of writing these lines): the Metawallet . It supports the TRON and Ethereum blockchains, and is therefore compatible with the latter’s decentralized applications (dApps).
Figure 3: Overview of Metawallet on Osiris Browser
This crypto browser uses Osiris Armor , which can be enabled or disabled at any time. This is a feature to block ads as well as cookies.
A particularity of Osiris comes from being able to choose on the fly the search engine used during a search, whether Quant, Google, Duckduckgo, Bing or Yahoo.
Finally, Osiris Browser integrates dAppstore , a portal from which it is possible to directly access any decentralized application in one click, such as Axie Infinity, PancakeSwap, OpenSea or platforms such as Binance.
However, against the competition, Osiris Browser seems to be the browser with the least features. As of this writing (June 2022), the mobile experience is inconclusive . The Metawallet wallet is still not available, nor is the native VPN.
So, if you are going to head to this crypto browser, we suggest that you only use the Windows version for now . Osiris Browser is still in its infancy and it will be interesting to see the new features that will be incorporated into it over time.
Conclusion on crypto browsers
Crypto browsers are still in their infancy. There are still very few of them today , and two of the three crypto browsers featured in this article were released less than a year ago.
Anyway, these are very interesting alternatives to classic browsers , as long as you are interested in the ecosystem surrounding cryptocurrencies as well as the protection and confidentiality of your data.
Web 3.0 is still an emerging technology and as industry adoption grows, it is likely that crypto browsers will grow in importance to establish themselves as a credible alternative.
However, this conclusion should be qualified since nothing prevents the most popular browsers, namely Google Chrome (64% market share) and Safari (19% market share), from making a turning point in the future . their strategy to adapt to the needs of Web 3.0 with their own economic model, as Opera already does.
Despite this possibility, which threatens the survival of current crypto browsers, Brave, Opera Crypto Browser and Osiris Browser still enjoy a certain head start in the field.