Blog
imToken announces support for PlatON network, joining hands to build Web3.0 Payment ecosystem
PlatON, a digital public infrastructure platform, announced a collaboration with imToken, a globally renowned digital wallet. imToken will fully support PlatON network, joining hands to build the Web3.0 Payment ecosystem. This cooperation will bring a more convenient and secure Digital Payment experience for users, and promote the widespread application of blockchain technology in finance.
PlatON has been focusing on privacy protection and scalability, committed to providing efficient and secure open financial infrastructure for global users. imToken is a simple and easy-to-use decentralized digital wallet, which has provided secure and reliable multi-chain digital asset management services for more than 15 million users, aiming to enable more people to access the Web3.0 ecosystem equally and freely.
This will deepen the collaboration between the two parties in the field of decentralized finance, creating more convenience for users. Users can now easily add, display, and manage assets on PlatON network on imToken. imToken also added support for the PlatON DApp ecosystem in its built-in browser, allowing users to access and use various decentralized applications on PlatON network directly in the imToken wallet. In the future, the two parties will also carry out in-depth cooperation in areas such as Stablecoins.
One of the core goals of this cooperation is to promote the development of Web 3.0 Payment ecosystem. As blockchain technology continues to mature, Web3.0 is gradually becoming the future trend of the digital economy. By integrating PlatON's privacy protection technology and imToken's convenient Payment function, the two parties will jointly build a more secure, efficient, and open Payment ecosystem, meeting the growing demand of users for Digital Payment.
This cooperation also reflects the common vision of PlatON and imToken in promoting digital economy innovation and building a trustworthy financial ecosystem. We look forward to PlatON and imToken bringing more value and experience to users, jointly promoting the innovation and popularization of blockchain technology, and contributing to the development of the digital economy.About PlatON
PlatON is an open financial infrastructure with privacy-preserving computation as its technical feature. Initiated and promoted by LatticeX Foundation, PlatON aims to become a major blockchain platform in the era of Web 3. It secures stability and performance on par with that of the financial system and provides privacy-enhanced compliant digital asset management, multi-scenario encrypted payment and settlement solutions, as well as smooth and user-friendly experience for various types of Web3 native applications and applications/users migrating from Web2 to Web3.About imToken
imToken is a decentralized digital wallet that carries crypto assets, identity and data in the digital world. Founded in 2016, imToken has provided secure and reliable digital asset management services for more than 15 million users in over 150 countries and regions.
2023-09-25HashKey Exchange and imToken Form Strategic Partnership to Bridge “Trusted and Trustless” Services in the Web3 Ecosystem
[HongKong, 28 August 2023] HashKey Exchange, Hong Kong’s first licensed retail virtual asset exchange, and imToken, a well-established non-custodial crypto wallet, have forged a strategic partnership to merge the “trusted” and “trustless” elements of the Web2 and Web3 realms within the virtual asset landscape.
Web3 operates on a "trustless" principle, relying on code, incentives, and economic mechanisms, giving users the option to not rely on third party. On the other hand, Web2 offers users a more familiar user experience and enhanced access to traditional financial services that are not yet found in Web3.
Both HashKey Exchange and imToken teams will work closely together to offer a comprehensive, seamless, and secure solution for all users, empowering customers with enhanced choices, elevating user experience to unprecedented levels of safety and convenience.
The seamless flow of value between exchanges and non-custodial wallets is a crucial junction for the Web3 investor experience. Investors seek a combination of non-custodial wallets, fiat on-ramp/off-ramp services, and professional trading capabilities, but the fragmented nature of service providers often hinder their overall experience.
In this strategic partnership, imToken will be appointed as the official non-custodial wallet partner for HashKey Exchange, catering to users who seek self-managed digital assets. As one of the first recipients of the virtual asset license from the Hong Kong SFC, HashKey Exchange will offer imToken users a trusted platform to trade virtual assets where direct bank transfers for fiat on and off ramp are supported.
We firmly believe that this collaboration will serve as a catalyst, synergizing the trusted attributes of HashKey Exchange's regulatory compliance with imToken's proven track record in security within the trustless nature. Together, we bridge the gap between fiat and digital assets, custodial and non-custodial solutions, and facilitate the unrestricted flow of value under a robust and secure framework.
Livio Weng, COO of HashKey Group, said, "We are excited to partner with imToken, a renowned name in the decentralized wallet space. By combining HashKey Exchange's regulated trading platform with imToken's secure and trustless capabilities, we aim to bring virtual asset management experience to the next level."
Ben He, CEO and Founder of imToken, said, "Our collaboration with HashKey Exchange represents a significant step forward in creating a seamless and secure ecosystem for Web3 enthusiasts. Together, we empower users to take control of their assets while ensuring they have access to a trusted fiat gateway for a holistic Web3 experience."
About HashKey Exchange
On a mission to set the bar for virtual asset exchanges in compliance, safety, and security, Hash Blockchain Limited (HashKey Exchange) is Hong Kong's first licensed virtual asset exchange for retail users. HashKey Exchange has recently received approval from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong to operate a virtual asset trading platform under Type 1 (Dealing in securities) licence and Type 7 (Providing automated trading services) licence. As HashKey Group's flagship business, HashKey Exchange provides all-in-one trading services for both professional investors (PI) and retail investors. HashKey Exchange has obtained ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 27701 (Data Privacy) management system certifications.
About imToken
imToken, a Series-B blockchain technology company headquartered in Singapore, is inspired to make digital life equally accessible to everyone, and we are committed to creating digital wallets that are simple to use, safe and secure for every user. Since its founding in 2016, imToken has served over 15 million users in more than 150 countries worldwide.
2023-09-26Revamped imToken signature for safer and more intuitive transactions
For most users, the "digital signature" full of cryptography is always elusive.In the context of cryptocurrency, where daily trading volume exceeds 10 million, and transaction volume reach billions of dollars, the significance of digital signatures becomes increasingly evident. It is not only a key role in cryptocurrency transactions, but also an important shield to protect assets.
However, as the signing landscape expands, so do the associated risks. Take the NFT theft incidents that emerged from OpenSea in 2022 as an example. Behind these incidents are often users who were hacked and phished after authorization, resulting in signature theft.
In blockchain transactions, it is not uncommon for authorization to be done inadvertently, resulting in signatures being stolen. In response to such risks, imToken launched a newly designed "signature experience" and enhanced the security risk control system, allowing users to achieve "what you see is what you sign" while ensuring security.
Brand new signing experience. What you see is what you‘re signing for.
"What you see is what you sign" means that what the user signs should be exactly the same as what he sees and expects. In order to implement this principle, imToken has carried out a comprehensive upgrade in every link involving signature, such as DApp login, transfers, token exchange or authorization, etc., so that users can easily understand every transaction. The following are optimization points for different scenarios:
1. Login: When logging in to a DApp, a message signature is required to verify identity or agree to the terms of service. imToken will clearly display all signature information, including login information, original data, wallet address, login website and its URL, and the DApp details.
2. Transfer: During the transfer process, imToken has added details to display, and a reminder will pop up when transferring money to a new address for the first time, prompting the user to verify the accuracy of the address. At the same time, a new payment address details page is added to view the historical interaction records with the address to help users better understand the usage of the address.
3. Authorization:When interacting with platforms such as Uniswap, it is often necessary to authorize the token transfer authority to the contract in order to automatically complete the transaction. imToken supports displaying details of two authorization methods, approve and permit, including authorization amount, time, token and contract details, etc. In addition, it also supports modifying the authorization amount and time directly by clicking "Edit"。
4. Contract interaction: On the interactive pages of platforms such as Uniswap, Tokenlon, OpenSea, and cross-chain bridges, imToken now shows the detailed changes in token quantities and contract details to help users judge whether the interaction meets expectations and is safe.
Enhanced risk control system for added security.
In the face of increasingly fierce malicious signatures in the market, imToken has upgraded and improved various signature scenarios and potential risk points in an all-round way, greatly strengthening the protection ability of the risk control system.
1. Professional targeted measures
Unparseable signatures such as eth_sign: Set risk reminders while retaining the user's operational autonomy;
Non-standard EIP-712 Type signature: if the format changes, set a clear reminder;
ENS security risk control: Set clear reminders for possible zero-width characters.
2. Active security protection
Mark risky tokens, ban risky addresses and DApps;
When transferring funds to the contract address, a reminder will pop up to ensure that misoperation is avoided;
When authorizing an ordinary account, a reminder pops up to reduce the risk of wrong authorization;
In the token exchange process, a warning alert pops up if slippage is too high.
Be Cautious with Risky and Contract Addresses
Finally
We sincerely invite users to provide valuable suggestions and feedback to help us further optimize and improve, and provide a more intuitive and secure signature experience in the encryption ecosystem. At the same time, imToken will continue to explore and continue to bring you more new functions and scenarios in the future, so as to provide you with more comprehensive and safer services.
If you have more suggestions, feel free to share them with us.
2023-09-25imToken Iliad: Join Arbitrum’s Odyssey with double rewards, double fun
The Arbitrum Odyssey and imToken Iliad event is back! The Layer 2 journey continues!
Welcome to the imToken Iliad!
This one is simple: Join Arbitrum’s Odyssey campaign while using imToken! For double rewards, and double fun.
Here is how to get started!
Win double: Odyssey + 12 Zodiacs and more
The Arbitrum team invites you on a 8-week journey to explore Layer 2, where rewards are offered for the entire duration. And to sweeten the deal, imToken is offering additional rewards on top for the entire 8 weeks. During the event, imToken will also offer tutorials to help you quickly familiarize yourself with the Arbitrum ecosystem.
imToken Iliad: Handcrafted Zodiacs
Get started here: https://galaxy.eco/imToken/campaign/GCekdUt1tE
Arbitrum Odyssey rules:
Bridge week(has ended)Use any of the 19 selected Arbitrum projects to bridge ETH to Arbitrum and receive 1 badge. If the bridge you choose has the highest ETH transaction volume at the end of the week, you will receive an additional badge. Update: This week's event has ended, and the bridge with the highest transaction volume is Hop Protocol. Users who send ETH to Arbitrum using Hop Protocol during bridge week can claim an additional badge between 09/20 12:00 AM - 09/26 12:00 AM SGT. Click to claim.
Week 1-7 (Starting from 2023/09/27 12:00 AM SGT) Arbitrum will offer 1-2 tasks every week, and upon completing each task, you will earn 1 badge. In total, there are 13 tasks, each corresponding to a badge. Furthermore, if you manage to collect 12 or more of the 15 badges from bridge week and week 1-7, you will also receive an exclusive badge designed by Ratwell & Sugoi.
imToken Iliad rules:
Users who complete Odyssey tasks using imToken can receive both the Odyssey badge and the Iliad badge, for a total of 16 badges.
Bridge week: 2 badges (Earth and Moon)
Week 1-7: 12 handcrafted Zodiacs + 1 badge
Collecting at least 12 out of the 15 badges will allow you to receive 1 exclusive badge.
Users who complete tasks can claim the rewards at the end of each week on Galxe.
Note: Users who complete tasks by getting crypto with fiat onramps during the bridge week will not receive the imToken Iliad badge, but they can still receive the Arbitrum Odyssey badge.
imToken Iliad: Galaxy badge
Arbitrum Odyssey and imToken Iliad have begun. 👉 Join now!
Following the gradual release of Odyssey DApp tasks during week 1-7, imToken will offer corresponding tutorials. Stay updated by following imToken on Twitter or joining Discord.
Campaign rules overview
Complete the tasks through imToken to receive Iliad badges.
Date (Singapore time)
DApp
Task
Iliad Badge
Odyssey Badge
Bridge week(has ended)
Bridge
Use any of the 19 selected projects to bridge ETH onto Arbitrum
Click to view the video tutorial: Hop; cBridge
Earth badge
Officially announced by Arbitrum, and you can follow Arbitrum's Twitter
Condition: The bridge you use has the highest ETH volume at the end of the week
Moon badge
🏃🏻♀️Week 1
9/27 12:00 AM - 10/2 12:00 AM SGT
GMX
Make a Long or Short trade on one of the V2 Markets
Leo badge
Week 2
Aboard Exchange
to be announced
Caner badge
tofuNFT
to be announced
Virgo badge
Week 3
Premia
to be announced
Libra badge
ApeX
to be announced
Scorpio badge
Week 4
1inch
to be announced
Sagittarius badge
Uniswap
To be announced
Capricorn badge
Week 5
DODO
to be announced
Aquarius badge
Swapr
to be announced
Pisces badge
Week 6
TreasureDAO
to be announced
Aries badge
BattleFly
to be announced
Taurus badge
Week 7
handle.fi
to be announced
Gemini badge
Sushi
to be announced
Astronaut badge
Designer Limited Edition Badge
Collect 12 or more of the 15 Iliad badges
Designer exclusive badge
/
Collect 12 or more of the 15 Odyssey badges
/
Exclusive badge designed by Ratwell & Sugoi
imToken, the best Layer 2 experience
Besides badge rewards, we bring a couple of unique features you won’t find on any other wallet.
Exclusively on imToken:
👀 Understand what’s happening: Decoded trade & account activity
📊 Watch your DeFi Portfolio: Positions on Uniswap, SushiSwap, GMX, Dopex and many more
📲 Get notified of changes in your balance via push notifications
Important for a reliable L2 experience:
📸 Bridges, 40+ Arbitrum DApps & WalletConnect
💹 Multiple price sources
Learn more about our Arbitrum wallet features:
https://medium.com/imtoken/major-arbitrum-release-everything-you-need-from-beginner-to-degen-e45c8380db45
Download imToken: Google Play | Apple App StoreFollow us: Twitter | Support | token.im
Risk Warning: The content of this article does not constitute any form of investment advice or recommendation. imToken does not make any guarantees and promises for the third-party services and products mentioned in this article, nor assume any responsibility. Digital asset investment has risks. You should carefully evaluate these investment risks and consult with relevant professionals to make your own decisions.
2023-09-27imToken’s Exploration of the Next-Gen Web3 Wallet UX and Product Framework
The cryptocurrency industry has seen rapid development in recent years and its application scenarios are expanding and gaining more public attention. However, decentralized wallets, which are a key means of interacting with the blockchain world, still present a high learning curve and usage barrier for the general public.
Unfamiliar technical terminology, a unique method for storing private keys, and the frequent occurrence of loss, theft, and fraudulent events has discouraged or intimidated people from engaging with it.
Moreover, user experience processes based on technical implementation have also imposed a significant learning curve on users. Therefore, helping the general public overcome these obstacles and building a user-friendly decentralized wallet experience has become the vision of imToken and many other industry players.
In the process of exploring the next generation of wallet experiences, imToken has started with user research, market segmentation, and user profiling. Beginning with user needs and pain points, we have constructed an information architecture based on usage scenarios and task priorities. The primary focus has been on novice users and newcomers, while also addressing the needs of expert users for decentralization, high security, and censorship resistance.
During the exploration of user experience optimization solutions, imToken has continually summarized corresponding design strategies. For example:
Onboarding: Onboarding is to assist users in understanding the new product model, product value, and exploring cryptocurrency. Creating an account and backing up private keys are not the final step. The exploration process without backup or even without an account is also the process of building trust in the product and closing the knowledge gap.
Token-Centric Information Model: Establishing an information model centered around tokens provides users with a comprehensive understanding when interacting with tokens.
Segmenting Asset Viewing and In-Depth Analysis: Segmenting the scenarios of daily asset viewing and periodic in-depth analysis, imToken uses smart asset analysis to integrate professional insights into specific scenarios. This makes it easier for users to make decisions by providing effective information to different user types.
Private Key Backup: Given the high threshold of private key backup, imToken is actively exploring biometric authentication, personal cloud backups, encrypted file backups, MPC, and smart contract-based backup methods. Each backup method comes with its advantages and challenges, and striking a balance between security, convenience, decentralization, and meeting the needs of different users is a critical consideration.
imToken will continue to explore the next generation of wallet products and collaborate with industry leaders to collectively optimize the user experiences of decentralized wallets.
Three Main Components of Wallets
Next, I’d like to share with you the product framework imToken has developed for next-generation Web3 wallets. I'll cover the issues that the current wallets are trying to solve, existing approaches, and their problems. Lastly, I'll share with you some future approaches that we have in mind.
I have 3.0 ETH and would like to stake the asset to earn profit
It actually covers three main components of a wallet.
Firstly, the ownership control, which represents who owns the crypto assets and how to easily and securely verify ownership and allow the owner to authorize assets when necessary.
Next, we also need to solve the account and asset management issues, determining the type of assets the owner has and displaying the information in an organized manner to provide insights to the users.
Lastly, the user will need to use the assets to engage in some blockchain use cases, so we would like to understand the objectives the user has in mind and help them achieve them.
Let's look at how the current wallets are addressing these three components.
At the bottom, we have an ownership control module (also known as key management service) that uses the EOA structure with one pair of private and public keys to manage ownership. For wallets like imToken that manage multi-chain assets, we use the HD structure, allowing users to use one pair of keys to manage wallets on different chains.
However, the assets are still managed separately on each chain, and when users try to engage in on-chain use cases, those experiences are inconsistent across chains. This approach has two main problems: firstly, we use only one pair of keys to manage the wallet, which is a new concept for Web2 users and introduces a steep learning curve. Additionally, this single pair of keys creates a single point of failure with very low fault tolerance.
At the top, assets are managed on individual chains, leading to different experiences for users across chains and restricted liquidity sharing. To address this, we propose the following future approach.
At the bottom, we are going to replace the EOA structure with a more generic ownership control module, which I will discuss later. The benefits of this include introducing more devices and accounts, allowing for risk to be spread across multiple accounts and devices, and making it more user-friendly by leveraging Web2 tools. At the top, we will introduce the idea of a universal account, which aims to provide a chain-agnostic experience to users. This includes multiple components, such as a universal identity portfolio and use case abstractions, which I will discuss later.
This is a side-by-side comparison of the two approaches, providing insights into the differences.
MPC TSS and AA
There are two popular approaches currently in the community: MPC TSS and AA. For MPC TSS, instead of using one key or pair of keys to manage ownership, the ownership is split into different pieces called shares. To claim ownership and sign transactions, the user may need to present multiple shares at the same time. While the concept seems straightforward, there are many more product implementation parameters to consider, such as the number of shares to generate and the relevant threshold setup.
A common approach is the 2-2 approach, where two shares are generated and users must present both at the same time to utilize assets. This is easy to understand but lacks redundancy, meaning if a user loses one share, they cannot recover their wallet.
To address this, some teams use the 2-3 approach, with three shares total and any two can be presented to claim ownership. This adds redundancy but increases complexity and requires user education. Theoretically, any M or N number can be chosen for flexibility, but managing more shares incurs overhead. Another key parameter is the shared storage solution. After deciding the shares and the threshold, where are you going to store the shares?
A simple answer is to store it with a platform operator such as imToken. So as a wallet operator, we are typically more professional in managing this critical information and therefore can provide a more secure service and users wouldn't have to worry about any other tasks.
However, there are platform dependencies with operators and migrating wallets across platforms lacks interoperability. Engaging with social logins is a good choice for Web2-like experiences and user-friendliness, but relying on centralized Web2 services may not be comfortable for Web3 users.
Other options include storing on hardware wallets and using social recoveries, which have minimal dependencies on centralized services. However, these concepts are complex to explain and to educate users, and social recoveries also have barriers due to the need for widespread blockchain adoption.
Overall, the situation becomes complex as there is a mix and match of different parameters, and businesses may need to consider the best combinations to suit their needs.
imToken is actively exploring different combinations to find the most optimal approach for our business context and target customers. Another approach is the AA wallet, where all wallet logic is written on chain within a smart contract, specifically ERC-4337. The benefits include a programmable ownership control module written on chain, allowing for the introduction of devices, web2 accounts, and more complex logics such as rules, thresholds, and weights design.
Additionally, more programmable use cases can be built, including having someone else authorize transactions or pay gas fees, and social recovery on chain, among other possibilities.
The question here is not about the powerfulness of AA. It's actually more about how we strategize our product to find out the killer features for our business. And therefore imToken is also exploring this approach.
Let’s take a side by side comparison between MPC TSS and AA. MPC has a flexible setup for different business contexts with most of the things happening off chain, resulting in low cost and multi-chain support due to inheriting the HD structure from EOA.
However, teaching users about multiple shares and redundancies can be complex, and each device and account must engage in signing abilities, limiting the types of servers and devices that can be used.
AA is powerful and can support many use cases, with high transparency in implementation logic and minimal dependence on off-chain infrastructure. However, there is additional cost to wallet users due to information being stored on-chain, and compatibility challenges arise when it comes to multi-chain support since each chain may implement AA differently.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, as it depends on the use case being served. Changwu, our chief scientist, has proposed combining MPC and AA to maximize their benefits. This is also one of the directions that we are exploring.
Universal Account
The next concept is universal account, which includes universal identity, universal portfolio, and use case abstraction.
For identity, people want to use ENS, a more readable domain name, to manage wallet addresses. We plan to expand ENS capabilities by introducing different formats, such as prefixes, to manage multichain wallet addresses and Web2 identities. However, the cost of ENS domains on mainnet, currently around $5-600 per year, is too high for most users.
We are considering using the secure off-chain data retrieval EIP, where platform operators like imToken purchase a main domain, such as .imToken on ENS, and allow users to register subdomains under it. If it's Alice, she will be assigned the subdomain alice.imToken, and everything else will follow the same format.
This structure benefits both the platform operator and users, as the cost is constant for the operator regardless of the number of users and users pay nothing. We hope to use this structure to scale our products and serve our customers better.
Additionally, people want to see their universal portfolios across all their wallets, but currently asset information is stored at the chain level and is most accurate there.
We can manipulate the information at the display layer. On the right-hand side, the individual, when users choose an individual wallet view, we can present that information at the information layer. On the left-hand side, if people want to see the universal portfolio view, we can aggregate the information by token assets, so they don't have to worry about which wallet is holding the assets.
We are thinking of keeping both views and allowing users to switch between them because they have different benefits. The benefits of a universal portfolio are straightforward and work well with portfolio analytics. For the individual wallet view, experienced users may prefer it because it presents information more accurately, allowing for more accurate actions. The display layer not only presents information but also affects user interactions.
Performing actions at an individual wallet view results in use cases that are specific to that wallet. For a universal portfolio, a new way of interacting with users is needed to focus on the use case rather than execution details. This is called use case abstraction. For example, Alice is using her universal account .alice.imToken to transfer 2 ETH to Bob, who specifies his mainnet address to receive the funds.
The question is how Alice can transfer the money to Bob. There are many ways to do this, and our idea is to introduce the imToken transaction routing module, which presents only the most necessary and critical information to the user for decision-making, while handling the rest of the execution. The user can choose from typical options such as fastest or cheapest in terms of cost, or customized logic, such as paying with BTC first. Each option has details on how the assets will be executed at the bottom.
But as a user you don't have to worry about it. You can just choose the option that is most appealing to you based on your priority and your deciding criteria. And we will handle the rest of the execution for you.
Bob may not want to worry about the receiver address for this transaction, so if he chooses to use the universal account to receive the funds, the situation becomes more complex. However, the logic remains the same. Our transaction routing module is going to find out the best transaction in terms of different criterias and present it to both parties so that they can make a selection.
We are doing this because most wallet features today focus a lot on executions, helping users complete tasks. However, users today face difficulties in making decisions because they need someone to facilitate them and also present them with insightful information.
We want to delve deeper into the needs of the user and ultimately understand the key rationale behind their actions. For instance, when staking, the primary goal is to find a way to generate investment profits based on one's wealth and risk tolerance. By shielding users from the details and hassles of the execution, we can better strategize our product to fulfill their deeper needs.
The wallet framework, ownership control model, and universal account model that I have shared are the direction that imToken is exploring. The wallet is the entry point for users to the Web3 world, and we look forward to participating in this revolution and bringing a more user-friendly product experience to users.
2023-09-22Mass Adoption of Crypto Wallet:The Challenges and Opportunities|TOKEN2049
It’s an honor to share with you the topic of how wallets can better serve the general public in the future. Today, we'll primarily discuss the opportunities and challenges that wallets might face in the coming times. But first, let's delve into some design concepts of abstract account wallets.
In native transactions, users first create an account address (EOA) and then use the corresponding private key to sign a transaction, following the Ethereum standard. Once the signature is verified, the transaction is broadcast to the Ethereum network, where it is verified by validators, who charge miners fees and execute the transaction. This is the traditional transaction process.
However, our focus today is on AA wallets, highlighting how its transaction cycle differs from the conventional method. As shown in the diagram, there is an area circumscribed by a dashed line, a component not present in traditional transaction processes. This section can be seen as a piece of information, or "intent," signed by the user during the transaction, which deviates from the standard Ethereum transaction format. This "intent" represents the action the user aims to perform. The signing at this juncture resembles the EIP-712 signature method.
Now, who is responsible for gathering these "intents" and transmitting them to Ethereum nodes? The abstract account introduces a role called "bundler", which evaluates the transaction off-chain, determining if it can be successfully executed and whether the expected fees can be deducted post-execution. I refer to this process as "virtual validation." It simulates the validation before the transaction enters the actual transaction pool. The bundler then forwards the transaction to the relevant nodes, initiating the real transaction process.
Compared to native transactions, abstract accounts introduce three major innovations:
Information Signature: In the past, what was signed conformed to the transaction's standard format. Now, only a piece of information is signed, like the destination of a transfer, rather than the full Ethereum transaction details.
Distinction between Accounts and Signers: Traditionally, no account means no tokens. In the current scenario, the account holder and the signer are two distinct entities. This results in two primary shifts: through contracts, addresses can be pre-generated; since the signer isn't synonymous with the account, if the signature key is lost, a new signer can be appointed to recover the account.Notably, regarding the pre-generation of addresses: In the past, if you wished to encourage someone to use a wallet but they lacked an address, even gifting a ten-dollar gift card was impossible. With pre-generated addresses, you can directly deposit funds when a user creates a new wallet.
Gas Fee Abstraction: Apart from account abstraction, the concept of Gas has also been abstracted. This means the gas fees you pay today doesn't necessarily have to be in ETH; it could be in ERC-20 tokens or any other fiat currency.
Key Management
One of the core aspects closely related to wallets is key management, undeniably a primary focus of ours. In the Web2 context, existing standards like Passkey, FIDO2, or WebAuthn provide us with convenient key management solutions.
However, abstract accounts revolutionize key management. Instead of just ECDSA signatures, we now embrace diverse signing methods. With private keys in phone security chips and contract validation, your phone transforms into a hardware wallet, making mnemonic phrases obsolete.
Abstract accounts enable us to replace the signer in the event of a private key loss while keeping the account unchanged. This amplifies the sustainability and upgradability of the wallet. Additionally, as these accounts are developed based on open-source contracts, their logic and verification methods are transparent to all users, allowing for more customization and a diverse range of frontend interfaces.
For example, there can be mobile apps or web versions, offering users more choices. The persistence of abstract accounts means that transaction histories or accumulated reputation on these accounts may potentially be used for DID in the future.
Addresses
The conventional method of generating blockchain addresses is based on the encoding of public keys. As long as you know the private key, you can deduce the corresponding public key and address. The advantage of this method is that it provides consistency across multiple chains. Users only need to manage a single private key to operate on various chains.
Due to the utilization of contracts, address management of abstract account wallets becomes more intricate. On EVM-compatible chains, addresses might still be traditional. However, on non-EVM-compatible chains like StarkWare and zkSync, the situation diverges. Despite these differences, through ENS management, users can still maintain operational consistency across multiple chains or Layer 2 solutions.
While native transaction address management is popular for its simplicity, abstract accounts introduce new challenges. Ensuring consistent user experiences across various chains and Layer 2 solutions, while taking into account the intricacy of contract accounts, is a problem that beckons future solutions.
Signing message
The signing message process in abstract accounts unveils unique potential and prospects. Unlike traditional native transactions, users are not restricted to a fixed transaction format and can freely express their intentions and desires. This flexibility brings about revolutionary changes to blockchain interactions.
In abstract accounts, signing messages aren’t merely instructions for fund transfers. Users can sign their intentions, specifying actions they wish to perform on the blockchain and applications. With this level of freedom, user interactions can occur across various scenarios, including email, social platforms, messaging apps, and more.
Users can simply write "Transfer 50 ETH to Alice" in an email, without having to go through a complex transaction interface, and the system will automatically recognize the intent and help users complete the transaction. This is similar to how we type keywords into a Google search bar without worrying about the underlying processing details. This model can be extended to various applications, allowing users to easily and quickly complete blockchain interactions almost anywhere.
Gas fees
Paying gas fees has always been challenging in blockchain transactions. Traditionally, users must ensure they have sufficient ETH in their wallets to cover transaction costs. This undeniably complicates matters, as they might need to first purchase ETH, possibly through fiat on exchanges or acquire it in other ways.
However, this issue has been greatly improved within the abstract account framework. Thanks to Paymaster, users are no longer limited to using ETH for transaction fees, reducing the entry barrier and complexity. Abstract accounts also allow for more customization of contracts, enabling them to be designed based on specific needs, including how to charge and pay for transaction fees.
This innovative approach ensures that users can effortlessly and seamlessly transact, elevating the overall user experience.
Account Recovery
Account recovery remains another pivotal consideration. Traditionally, mnemonic phrases have been our primary recovery tool. In abstract accounts, even if the signer changes, account continuity is preserved. This furnishes us with diverse account recovery methods, including multi-signatures, identity verification technologies, or even off-chain solutions like MPC. Such versatility enhances user confidence, knowing they have several recovery means should issues arise.
Given that abstract accounts are contract-based, this implies we can design more modular contracts, integrating various plugins and functionalities. From the changes in user portraits, we can see the diversity of user needs. A beginner may require a wallet that is user-friendly and straightforward, while as they gain experience and their needs evolve, they may desire a wallet with more advanced features, such as DeFi functionality or enhanced security measures.
To cater to diverse user needs, we can design contracts with assorted modules and features. Abstract accounts enable us to flexibly offer services tailored to users’ needs.
In conclusion, abstract accounts offer modular and customizable functions, further realizing differentiation and customization. Yet, high contract execution costs are a concern. We need to scale to cut costs, and we see future wallets leaning more on Layer 2 technology for abstract account implementation and execution.
2023-09-27
imToken's September Event Overview: See You in Singapore!
In September, Singapore hosts numerous Web3-themed conferences. Despite market fluctuations, industry pioneers remain enthusiastic about shaping Web3's future, striving for user-friendly experiences. As a steadfast advocate of decentralized wallets, imToken is dedicated to designing improved user products.
imToken is actively researching popular wallet topics like AA wallets, MPC wallets, and MEV. We're open to diverse technical approaches, aiming to create a safer, user-friendly next-gen Web3 experience for users.
In September, Singapore will host two significant conferences - Ethereum Singapore (sponsored by imToken) and TOKEN2049. imToken will actively take part in these events, presenting our latest observations and product insights. Furthermore, imToken will be involved in four distinct thematic discussions, including MEVday organized by IOSG Ventures and Blocknative, LayerUp by Automata Network, DeCompute by Silence Laboratories, and GM Singapore, jointly hosted by imToken, TechFlow, and QuestN.
Agenda
Keynote Speech: Exploration of the Next-Gen Web3 Wallet Product Framework - Ethereum SingaporeDate: September 11th, afternoonVenue/Link: National Gallery Singapore 4F
Panel: MEV Protection & Recirculation - MEVdayDate: September 11th, afternoonVenue/Link: https://lu.ma/uezdqmfc
Workshop: Beyond Functionality: Exploration of the Next-Gen Web3 Wallet UX - Ethereum SingaporeDate: September 12th, morningVenue/Link: National Gallery Singapore 4F
Closed Door Meeting: The New Battlefield of Stablecoins: Building the Future of Web3 PaymentsDate: September 12th, afternoon
Panel: Economy of MEV - LayerUpDate: September 12th, afternoonVenue/Link: https://lu.ma/layer-up
Keynote Speech: Mass Adoption of Crypto Wallet: The Challenges and Opportunities - DeComputeDate: September 13th, afternoonVenue/Link: https://www.decompute.org/
Keynote Speech: Navigating the User Operations Trilemma - GM SingaporeDate: September 15th, afternoonVenue/Link: https://lu.ma/ayly60yy
You can find imToken at the Ethereum Singapore and TOKEN2049 conferences from September 10-12 and 13-14 respectively. See you in Singapore this September!
Follow us to stay up to date on the latest imToken news!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imTokenOfficial
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/imToken
2023-09-09
Upgraded signature feature and prize quiz
Signature is an important part of securing crypto. Transfers, trades, and DApp interactions all require signatures. In this update, we have comprehensively upgraded the signature feature:
You Sign What You See: We’ve optimized transfer, approval, DApp connection, token swap that involve signatures, allowing you to intuitively grasp every transaction.
Enhanced Risk Control System: Our system analyzes every signature from multiple dimensions to promptly identify security risks, keeping you away from malicious signature scams.
Learn more: https://support.token.im/hc/en-us/articles/21850966355737
In addition, the ‘‘imToken Security Officer Call to Action” campaign is ongoing. Join in for a chance to win hardware wallets, 200 USDT, and other great prizes.
Join now: https://go.fans-campaign.com/f/TNttTf
imToken Team2023.09.08 SGT
2023-09-28MoonPay partners with Asia's largest crypto wallet imToken
Since inception, imToken has helped 15 million users enter the blockchain world.
In yet another industry-leading collaboration, we are partnering with Asia's largest crypto wallet imToken to expand our offerings across the globe!
Dedicated to delivering the most reliable and intuitive wallet experience and digital asset management services to its users, imToken will work with MoonPay to offer a more accessible and seamless fiat on-off ramp experience. This partnership with imToken will help onboard new users based in Asia, as the market in this region continues to grow.
In honor of this exciting partnership, fees will be lowered to 3% for users onboarding imToken using MoonPay as part of this promotion!
“Our goal at MoonPay has always been to accelerate the adoption of Web3. By partnering with imToken – an incredible wallet leader in Asia – we are expanding our reach to more users around the globe and enabling a simple way to onboard into the world of crypto,” said Ivan Soto-Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of MoonPay.
“We are excited to forge a close partnership with MoonPay to pave the way for seamless and affordable on-ramp experiences, offering crypto explorers the perfect entry point into the world of Web3 and DeFi, and a trusted gateway for crypto investors to grow their digital assets,” said Chuck Ko, VP of Product at imToken.
imToken recently redesigned the UX of its wallet following feedback from its loyal ecosystem. You can now receive a Fiat-Crypto price quote from MoonPay in one click and checkout using MoonPay easily. Further, imToken supports different chains and you can buy the protocol tokens (E.g. ETH, TRX) using MoonPay to pay for transaction fees.
We can’t wait to see what new developments will come of this exciting collaboration!
About MoonPay
MoonPay is the world's leading Web3 infrastructure company. It provides end-to-end solutions for payments, enterprise-scale digital asset and smart contracts minting, and world-class design to power Web3 strategies and ideas for the world's most iconic brands. MoonPay is active in more than 160 countries and is trusted by 500+ partners, including leading wallets, commercial brands, and applications. For more information, visit: https://www.moonpay.com/
About imToken
imToken, a Series-B blockchain technology company headquartered in Singapore, is inspired to make digital life equally accessible to everyone, and we are committed to creating digital wallets that are simple to use, safe and secure for every user. Since its founding in 2016, imToken has served over 15 million users in more than 150 countries worldwide.
2023-09-08