Consensys Deepens blockchain Integration, Launches MetaMask Snaps

To further improve blockchain penetration in Nigeria, Consensys has unveiled the first iteration of MetaMask Snaps to the public. The update from the leading blockchain and web3 software company is billed to excite young Nigerians active in the blockchain space due to the revolution MetaMask Snaps is set to bring into the scene.

As the world’s leading self-custody web3 platform, MetaMask is set to change the way users interact while offering them unprecedented control and customisation with Snaps, new features and functionality, created by third-party developers. This is a new mode that MetaMask users worldwide can install directly into their wallet.

Before now, MetaMask features were exclusively developed by dedicated developers employed by Consensys. The initial rollout will include 34 Snaps, one of which was created by a Nigerian builder, that provides utility around transaction insights, interoperability with non-EVM blockchains like Bitcoin, and notifications.

These first unlock unique use cases including Transaction insights. This enhances users’ web3 journey with clearer transaction insights, empowering them to identify potential security concerns and malicious smart contracts before finalising a transaction.

On its own, the Interoperability means MetaMask Snaps broadens web3 usage to encompass non-EVM blockchains such as Bitcoin, Solana, Cosmos, Filecoin, and EVM Layer 2 solutions like StarkNet while Notifications is about keeping users informed and engaged with dapp-specific notifications directly in MetaMask, ensuring you never miss an essential update or event.

For Nigerian Snaps, one of the innovative offerings is Wallet Chat, a user-friendly wallet application that allows users to securely carry their digital wallets. A full list of Snaps is available on the MetaMask Snaps Directory.

MetaMask Promises Innovation Without Permission

MetaMask surpassed 100 million users in 2022, with the web3 ecosystem having witnessed rapid growth, leading to new diverse use cases. When it comes to innovations that provide a personalised user experience, MetaMask continues to be crucial towards eliminating barriers to entry and facilitating the growth of the web3 ecosystem. The ultimate goal is to onboard 1 billion users eventually.

According to Dan Finlay, co-founder of MetaMask, “Snaps’ system at the heart of the wallet invites the community to provide solutions to the hardest problems, fostering a new paradigm of distributed computing. Lowering the barrier and cost of trying new things can accelerate the process of finding good answers to hard problems, not just accelerating technology for its own sake.”

Also speaking, Christian Montoya, Product Lead for MetaMask Snaps, stated: “We are building MetaMask Snaps as an open platform for innovation and we do not charge developers for publishing Snaps to this platform. We believe that permissionless innovation is a cornerstone of a decentralized system—no gatekeepers. Innovation thrives at the pace of the network, not just within an individual development team at Consensys.”

In anticipation of what the future holds, MetaMask has been in discussions with over 150 developers in the past few months to broaden the array of Snaps. These developers are from various regions around the world, including Nigeria, the US as well as Europe, Latin America and Asia.