There are many types of crypto wallets, and they cater to different types of crypto owners. Some prefer mobile wallets for Android and iOS devices, while some prefer desktop wallets for their personal computers.
There are still those who use browser wallets that work mainly online, while others prefer cold, hardware wallets.
There’s a category of wallets though that isn’t very popular yet, these are called browser extension wallets. As the name implies, they are simply browser extensions that serve as crypto wallets.
Browser extension wallets don’t require that you download any app to your computer. Instead, you just use an extension. This makes them easy to use, without having to take up so much space.
However just like any other wallet, it has its unique weaknesses such as installing one from the wrong source. Browser extensions can also be compromised by hackers and other attackers, leading to loss of funds.
Not to panic though, because browser extensions are highly secure wallets with features that take care of vulnerabilities associated with such wallets. The following are the best of such wallets you can use for holding your crypto assets.
Metamask
Metamask is a popular crypto wallet widely used by many crypto investors and traders. If you use Ethereum and decentralized exchanges a lot, this wallet will be relevant to you. It was originally designed for the Ethereum blockchain, so it is highly compatible with the blockchain.
Metamask also supports Binance Smart Chain (BSC) blockchain and all the tokens based on the blockchain. You can use it to interact with decentralized applications on Ethereum, and to connect to and trade on decentralized exchanges.
If you’re interested in non-fungible tokens (NFTs),you’ll also find Metamask useful, since it also supports NFTs on Ethereum and BSC.
The wallet works with all major browsers, including Chrome, Brave, Firefox, Edge, etc. in terms of security, Metamask uses two-factor authentication to secure users’ accounts, and you can use your recovery phrase to restore your wallet should anything go wrong.
You can also synchronize your wallet with a mobile app on your phone, so that you can use both platforms interchangeably.
Coinbase Extension Wallet
Coinbase is a popular crypto exchange and one of those with the largest trading volume in the world. The exchange also has a wallet, which is a separate product from the exchange. Before now, the wallet was only available as a mobile app.
However as the company’s services continue to evolve, it has included an extension app for the wallet. This means that you can access the wallet as a browser extension now, provided you’re using supported browsers such as Chrome.
Since Coinbase is a crypto exchange designed for Beginners, the wallet extension is also perfect for beginners in the crypto space, especially those who are new to non-custodial wallets. There are currently over 1,000,000 users of this wallet. And you can use it to access over 291 crypto assets.
You can use the wallet to connect to Coinbase, and supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Polygon blockchains.
Ledger Wallet Extension
Ledger wallets are hardware wallets used to store cryptocurrencies offline. To seamlessly connect such hardware to the internet, Ledger has created a Ledger wallet extension. This is a browser extension you can install and use to connect your wallet to any exchange.
The wallet is more secure than other wallets, because it can interact with decentralized applications through Bluetooth. It is however only available through Safari browser. Nonetheless, there are over 10,000 users of this wallet.
If you’re using a Ledger hardware wallet or you intend to, this extension is an important component of your crypto journey that you should consider using.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the best browser extensions you can use if you’re interested in this category of wallets. All you need is to get the supported browser and then install from the right source.
