Why isnt there a BTC browser wallet like Metamask

[Joethereum]

I still use Electrum the few times when I send BTC transactions, but just today i thought about, why isnt there a Browser extension wallet for BTC like Metamask for ethereum?

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Metamask is a web wallet, you do not have to compare it with desktop wallet like Electrum. Web wallets are more susceptible to online attacks. You can just download electrum and use it offline if you want, what web wallets can not do. I am not saying electrum is not an online wallet, but not being a web wallet make people to have a choice to also use it as a cold wallet if they know how and want to.

[crwth]

I thought you were talking about brave browsers or something. Like I thought that that's not the use case of BTC. Bitcoin was made for purely peer-to-peer transactions without a middleman. Not be mined by watching ads to get a sure reward. It's an excellent idea but probably not going to be possible. This was just a thought

But in essence, I think it would be hard, and it can be compromised. Maybe a hot wallet of some sort.

[Ryker1]

I still use Electrum the few times when I send BTC transactions, but just today i thought about, why isnt there a Browser extension wallet for BTC like Metamask for ethereum?

Well perhaps you did not know the difference between the web wallet and the software-based wallet and it is open-source.
Some people did not want to install web browser extensions because it is very risky to use, --but why you are looking for a browser extension instead of a trusted software that you can download of course --you can verify the legitimacy through GPG signatures.

[NotATether]

Some people did not want to install web browser extensions because it is very risky to use, --but why you are looking for a browser extension instead of a trusted software that you can download of course --you can verify the legitimacy through GPG signatures.

Indeed. MetaMask happens to be lucky that it has a strong commuity that not only maintains it but actively publishes a phishing list, phishing warnings and so on. But most other wallets do not have this kind of luxury, to have devs who are also sentries.

In the Chrome Web Store there are so many fake copies of legitimate wallets which swipe your coins if you enter your password. Also there are malicious extensions that imitate real extensions but do not look like wallets - these also steal coins.

[mk4]

Because it doesn't make sense for Bitcoin to have a wallet integrated into a browser plugin; it simply adds unnecessary risk. The reason why MetaMask needs to be a browser plugin, is because Ethereum users connect their MetaMask to "DeFi" websites.

[Wexnident]

Because being a web extension itself is a flaw, one that may not be easily compromised but CAN still be compromised. Not to mention that there were already safer options available that people were able to use. I think if you were to compare, Metamask was probably made for people new to the scene, testing stuff around kind of thing, while better wallets are for people who are pretty experienced and are holding a pretty good amount of coins in their wallet.

[Maus0728]

There are few that exists BUT I strongly advise against using them because they really serve no purpose while putting your bitcoin at risk for the sake of convenience^(really?)

- https://liquality.io/
- https://mathwallet.org/en-us/
- https://extension.crocobit.net/

I just don't know if their claim that they support bitcoin in their wallet is true since Metamask, a popular ERC-20 token wallet, can also store bitcoin but only in a wrapped version (wBTC)

[PX-Z]

Security reasons, that's it. Malware and virus came first from your browser's activity with that logic no bitcoin developer that priorities security will do the same to other ethereum-related wallet.
Although even if there is existing ^{(if there is)} no one will regularly use that wallet.

[tbct_mt2]

why isnt there a Browser extension wallet for BTC like Metamask for ethereum?

Web wallet is not the safest wallet type to use. Metamask is a web wallet.

In addition, Metamask is for multi chain, and token. Bitcoin has only one chain, Bitcoin blockchain, no token, so you only need a non custodial wallet to use for your Bitcoin storage and transactions.

https://cryptosec.info/checklist/
https://www.lopp.net/bitcoin-information/recommended-wallets.html
Some informative resources to read. With web wallet, you must trust that they don't store your seed when you creating your wallet. Not your keys, not your coin.

Web wallet or other wallet types, when you create your wallet, you should turn off Internet connection.

[pooya87]

Because it doesn't make sense for Bitcoin to have a wallet integrated into a browser plugin; it simply adds unnecessary risk. The reason why MetaMask needs to be a browser plugin, is because Ethereum users connect their MetaMask to "DeFi" websites.

Obviously those bag holding ETH don't understand or care about their security otherwise they wouldn't have bought a centralized altcoin with a mutable blockchain in first place

[sunsilk]

Actually, there was one before and that's the greenaddress wallet. But eventually, they've stopped supporting it and made it as a desktop wallet.

But as said by many on this thread, there's a huge concern about security about it. Imagine those that have lost their ETH tokens because of connecting it to a website that they're about to invest, it's easy work for the scammers and hackers while them, giving that quick approval and confirmation that sometimes is the reason why they're scammed.

[goldkingcoiner]

The only reason web wallets exist is for personal convenience. Which, of course, is a horrible trade-off for security but people are lazy like that. I guess 10 seconds of downloading a wallet is too much work for them. Or perhaps if something happens they want to have someone to blame other than themselves? Of course nobody will be there to help them, so I guess its the illusion of customer service that they prefer?

Electrum is the best wallet so far, in my thinking.

And of course its decentralized, like every other wallet. So making a web version would not make sense anyway. If you have internet, you can download the wallet. Just hope that the site you download from has not been compromised.

[DaveF]

Beyond the security implications, there seems to be nobody asking for it. If there were people asking / talking about it more people would be writing them and we would be discussing them.

I would not really want to use one for real amounts of money, but for keeping small amounts, under $25 or so, it might not be the worst. If you are only using 1 PC and occasionally want to get something with BTC having a high risk, vulnerable hot wallet with that amount give or take could be handy. No going for the HW wallet, or anything else. Obviously everyone would have their own amount of BTC they would be willing to risk.

-Dave

[bitcampaign]

I think avoiding it because for security reasons it's not because it doesn't exist, it might be there if you look for it and I'm sure you will also lose your bitcoins if you use a wallet in a browser plugin, you should hold the btc in the ethereum wbtc network so you can store it in metamask or other

[avikz]

I still use Electrum the few times when I send BTC transactions, but just today i thought about, why isnt there a Browser extension wallet for BTC like Metamask for ethereum?

It is very easy for hackers to gain control of your browser. So wallets like Metamask is not really safe. This is good for micro transactions but if you are holding a good amount of money in your Metamask wallet, it is not really recommend!

Probably that's the reason no developer has yet created a secured browser extension like Metamask. It is always best to use a desktop or hardware wallet if you are holding some good amount of bitcoins. Electrum is quite good and used by a lot of fellow forum members.

[dkbit98]

I still use Electrum the few times when I send BTC transactions, but just today i thought about, why isnt there a Browser extension wallet for BTC like Metamask for ethereum?

There are some extension you can use as Bitcoin wallet, but I wouldn't suggest anyone should use this instead of Electrum wallet.
Many extensions can turn out to be a scam so watch out for that, but I think Liquality wallet is acceptable and it can be used as exchange with atomic swaps.
Safepal released their browser extension but it's closed source and I don't recommend anyone should use it.
 

[rdbase]

Using a web-based wallet is unheard of using nowadays especially for bitcoin.
I remember using one when I was just getting acquainted in using this newly created asset of the digital space.
But it was more of a learning tool then to use as a daily driver for anything valuable enough to be concerned of losing if it did not work or hacked into.

Mostly everything that was related to being browser based has been transitioned into an app.
Such as blockchain.info(.com now) and Jaxx which is one I was referring to at beginning of this post.

Haven't used them in a long time and they had since changed their name to Jaxx Liberty.
But has since had people complaining of having their wallets hacked more frequently.
https://www.reddit.com/r/jaxx/comments/l86gi0/jaxx_liberty_wallet_hacked_need_help

[mk4]

I think avoiding it because for security reasons it's not because it doesn't exist, it might be there if you look for it and I'm sure you will also lose your bitcoins if you use a wallet in a browser plugin, you should hold the btc in the ethereum wbtc network so you can store it in metamask or other

If you hold WBTC, you're going to need to trust that WBTC's custodian is backing the WBTC with BTC 1:1. That's a huge unnecessary risk to take just so you can hold your "bitcoin" on a browser plugin. Honestly wouldn't do this unless you have a certain yield farming strategy you want to temporary take advantage of(assuming you totally know what you're doing as well).

[pooya87]

If you hold WBTC, you're going to need to trust that WBTC's custodian is backing the WBTC with BTC 1:1.

That's not enough though since even if they had bitcoin 1:1 they are still owning those bitcoins and they can decide to never swap bitcoins for their own shitcoin or sell those bitcoins and go away. There is nothing people can do about it.