Brave Adds Support For Solana on iOS and Android

The Brave mobile browser has added support for Solana dApps, its developers announced on Tuesday, after adding support for the popular proof-of-stake blockchain to its desktop browsers last year.

Brave announced the mobile integration on Twitter, saying users can now connect with Solana NFT marketplaces Magic Eden and cryptocurrency exchanges Orca and Jupiter Exchange.

Advances in UX and mobile are among the most important ways to onboard new users,” Amelia Daly, Head of Partnerships at Solana Foundation, said in a press release.

“User experience can be very fragmented in crypto,” Daly continued.“The Brave DApp integration is important because it allows for seamless browser-based connections to your favorite Solana programs.”

In November 2021, Brave and Solana Labs announced a joint integration. At the time, Brave said it was turning to Solana because of the network’s high speed and low cost compared to Ethereum, which had yet to complete the long-awaited merge that transitioned the Ethereum blockchain from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake.

Brave says the mobile integration aims to add more protection and eliminate the need to jump between apps to sign transactions. Brave faces competition from other browsers integrating blockchain features.

Rival browser company Opera added a crypto wallet and decentralized application explorer to its Android mobile browser in 2018, followed by iOS in 2019. In January 2022, Opera released the first version of its “Crypto Browser,” which features a built-in wallet that supports NFTs, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and others and links to several popular crypto websites and news outlets. Opera was also the first browser to add native support for Unstoppable Domains in 2021.

Despite Opera’s head start, however, Brave made it clear that it was up to the challenge of becoming the go-to app for Web3 on mobile.

“Brave is increasingly the browser of choice for the Web3 world, and with the addition of Solana DApp support on mobile, we’re expanding that reach to another key group that is seeking fast and friendly ways to use their crypto on the go,” CEO and co-founder of Brave Brendan Eich said in a statement.