Wallets as Universal Access Devices

TL;DR

This paper discusses wallets as versatile access devices in Web3, highlighting their roles in security, user empowerment, and societal impact, emphasizing the need for enhanced security and new service opportunities.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of wallets as universal access devices in Web3, exploring their functionalities, societal implications, and the importance of security improvements.

Findings

Wallets enable secure access to digital assets and services.

Web3 wallets facilitate societal benefits like identity management and reduced transaction costs.

Enhanced security measures are essential for wallet trustworthiness.

Abstract

Wallets are access points for the digital economys value creation. Wallets for blockchains store the end-users cryptographic keys for administrating their digital assets and enable access to blockchain Web3 systems. Web3 delivers new service opportunities. This chapter focuses on the Web3 enabled release of value through the lens of wallets. Wallets may be implemented as software apps on smartphones, web apps on desktops, or hardware devices. Wallet users request high security, ease of use, and access of relevance from their wallets. Increasing connectivity, functionality, autonomy, personal support, and offline capability make the wallet into the user's Universal Access Device for any digital asset. Through wallet based services, the owner obtains enhanced digital empowerment. The new Web3 solutionareas, Identity and Decentralisation, enable considerable societal effects, and wallets are an integral part of these. One example is self sovereign identity solutions combined with wallet borne AI for personalised support, empowering the enduser beyond anything previously known. Improved welfare is foreseen globally through enlarged markets with collaborative services with drastically lowered transaction costs compared to today, the expected vastly increased levels of automation in society necessitate enhanced enduser protection. As wallets are considered a weak spot for security, improving overall security through blockchains is essential.