Opera adds Ethereum Layer 2 wallet to its Android browser

Through a partnership with DiversiFi, Opera users on Android will be able to make cheap and instant crypto transactions within their mobile browser wallet. The Layer 2 swapping feature is 100 times cheaper than Ethereum Layer 1.

Why should we care?
The very growth in popularity that has given FTX and the crypto class runaway success has rendered the Ethereum mainnet prohibitively expensive for everyday transactions. Layer 2 services speed up transaction times and lower the costs involved in blockchain-based exchanges, making the process more user-friendly and ecological. Ethereum 2.0 hopes to adopt these tech-stack changes internally over time; but, while users wait, external Layer 2 solutions handle transactions outside the Ethereum mainnet while continuing to use Layer 1 models. With tens of millions of users, Opera hopes to lower barriers into blockchain-based financial landscapes through Layer 2 adoption. Opera was the first browser to introduce built-in crypto wallet and web3 support in 2018. Given Opera’s status as an early blockchain adopter, this latest development may suggest that other browsers will partner with Layer 2 solutions in the months to come. “Now it's time to remove one of the key hurdles associated with the use of web3: exorbitant gas fees and slow network speeds," said Jorgen Arnesen, Opera's EVP of Mobile.