Dialogue with MetaMask Product Head: Snaps has achieved six major functions, with Solana, Cosmos, and Tezos being the most popular

Interviewee: Christian Montoya, MetaMask Product Lead

Interviewer: bayemon.eth, ChainCatcher

When a curious newcomer asks, "How can I participate in the crypto market and take my first step into the Web3 world?" most seasoned players would likely suggest starting by registering a wallet. It is evident that Web3 wallets, as the origin of all on-chain interactions, have become one of the main traffic entry points in the current Web3 space. According to the crypto data platform RootData, there are currently 292 projects listed under the wallet category. Compared to other areas also seen as entry points for Web3 traffic, such as the social track which is still in its "Maka Baka" phase, the wallet segment has already entered a mature stage and subtly shows signs of saturation.

If the overwhelmed newcomer among the 292 wallets asks again, "Are there any recommended wallets?" seasoned players would likely reach a consensus and recommend a yellow fox to the earnest newcomer. The little fox wallet, MetaMask, born in 2016, can be said to be at the forefront of the Web3 wallet field. At that time, most people had not yet realized the importance of wallets as traffic entry points, and MetaMask, rooted in the Ethereum ecosystem, did not face much fierce competition in its early development stage. Under the fervent influence of the DeFi Summer in 2020, MetaMask's monthly active users grew from 1 million to 21 million in just one year. Since then, the "Miracle Fox" has maintained a nearly unshakeable position in the wallet field as long as it continues to perform steadily. However, with the vast prospects and ecological status of the wallet field, more and more teams are choosing to build wallets to share in the traffic dividends—well-known CEXs like Binance and OKX have chosen to integrate wallets; Phantom has successively received investments from a16z and Paradigm, and then expanded from Solana to mainstream networks like Ethereum and Polygon…

In this 24/7 market, many people show excitement rather than fear when facing the so-called "absolute position," and more projects are starting to make moves to shake the high tower built by MetaMask over the years. However, the MetaMask team, as sharp as the fox, seems to have anticipated the potential crises in this wilderness survival—launching features like Swap and Sell, and introducing the developer version MetaMask Flask in January 2022, with its first feature, Snaps, opening for testing this September. The release of Snaps allows MetaMask to leap from being a simple wallet to adopting all reasonable innovations in wallet infrastructure, and the cunning fox smiles wickedly amidst the smoke of competition, directly taking it to the "Next Level."

With a vision of "creating an open ecosystem that encourages participants to continuously innovate," what is the original intention behind MetaMask's promotion of Snaps? What significance does Snaps hold for the overall MetaMask ecosystem? What expectations does the MetaMask team have for this unique feature? In the face of a seemingly declining multi-chain ecosystem, why does MetaMask insist on choosing multi-chain compatibility? And how does it view the intensifying competition in the wallet track? This time, ChainCatcher invited MetaMask Product Lead Christian Montoya to interpret Snaps' deep layout, the future of multi-chain, competition and cooperation, and long-term perspectives, revealing the jungle rules for the little fox in the next cycle.

MetaMask Snaps Product Lead: Christian Montoya

The Little Fox Appears!

1. ChainCatcher: 2022 also marks the sixth year for MetaMask. The related blog pointed out that 2022 was "a year for establishing the necessary systems and teams to more comprehensively meet user needs." What do you think was the team's biggest achievement in the past year? What industry issues has the team focused on?

Christian: In the past year, we have achieved many accomplishments, including the launch of MetaMask Snaps and the MetaMask Software Development Kit (SDK), which enables developers to extend MetaMask's functionality and integrate it anywhere. We introduced the revolutionary privacy protection security module Blockaid, which is still in the experimental stage but has already been protecting users from potential scams. We also launched MetaMask Learn, an interactive guide that teaches people the basics of web3. Finally, we continue to increase support for more onramps, swaps, staking, and bridging providers, and launched the first offramp providers, allowing users to sell cryptocurrencies directly from MetaMask for cash.

The focus of the MetaMask team is on:

1. Expanding business beyond the Ethereum ecosystem through Snaps;
2. Supporting web3 games through the MetaMask SDK;
3. Enabling users to access cryptocurrencies in as many regions as possible;
4. Educating everyone to join web3;
5. Ensuring the safety of web3 for users through collaboration with Blockaid and transaction insights via Snaps.

Introduction to MetaMask Snaps

2. ChainCatcher: Please briefly introduce the main features and development progress of MetaMask Snaps.

Christian: Snaps currently offers six main features:

1. Interoperability with blockchain protocols outside of Ethereum (such as Bitcoin, Solana, and Cosmos);
2. Sending notifications directly within the MetaMask wallet;
3. Security insights for transactions within transaction flows;
4. Support for privacy protocols;
5. Decentralized identity management;
6. Seamless authentication with dapps.

The Snaps platform was released in open beta to MetaMask on September 12, 2023. Currently, we are working to improve user experience and develop new API features that will expand the potential of Snaps for users.

3. ChainCatcher: MetaMask's vision has always been "to create an open ecosystem that encourages participants to continuously innovate." What initial factors drove MetaMask to launch Snaps, and what significance does this feature hold for the overall MetaMask ecosystem? What is your long-term vision for this feature?

Christian: Snaps is inspired by MetaMask's perception of the dense innovation within the web3 ecosystem, where a single wallet team cannot effectively capture all innovations. By creating an open product ecosystem through Snaps, the best products can surface on their own. The significance of this feature for MetaMask is that, after careful consideration, the team is adopting a collaborative approach with the ecosystem and empowering builders to bring their own innovations to MetaMask through Snaps. My long-term vision for Snaps is to see many types of products launched in the form of Snaps, and to see users using MetaMask in many ways that we cannot even predict today, supported by Snaps.

4. ChainCatcher: Can you share how the current user usage situation is? What are the most frequently used applications? Are there any discrepancies from expectations?

Christian: While I cannot share any specific user data, we have seen some of the most popular use cases being Solana, Cosmos, and Tezos. We are excited to see MetaMask users exploring these ecosystems through Snaps.

The Bright Future of the Little Fox

EVM vs Non-EVM

5. ChainCatcher: MetaMask was originally created based on the Ethereum ecosystem, and MetaMask Snaps has chosen to support non-EVM networks. However, the recent hype around multi-chain narratives seems to have been overshadowed by Layer 2. Will MetaMask still be "All-in on multi-chain" in 2024? Are there any planned milestones or major updates for 2024?

Christian: Although MetaMask originated from Ethereum, it firmly believes that innovation occurs across many areas of the web3 ecosystem. MetaMask will continue to focus on interoperability and the multi-chain future. MetaMask Snaps broadens the use of web3, including non-EVM blockchains like Bitcoin, Solana, Cosmos, and EVM Layer 2 solutions like StarkNet.

6. ChainCatcher: The way Ethereum ecosystem nodes connect is different from other public chains like BNB Chain and Solana. In addressing node and RPC connection adaptation issues, the Snaps development team chose to open APIs, allowing developers to complete the adaptation work themselves, while MetaMask is responsible for the auditing work after the connection. Can you provide examples of common issues that arise during the auditing process, and how MetaMask will ensure the long-term stability and security of Snaps connections in the future?

Christian: The design of the MetaMask Snaps platform is security-based. Each Snap is isolated and follows the "Least Authority Necessary" principle, managing only the keys and data it needs to extend MetaMask's functionality. For Snaps on blockchains like Solana, the auditing process involves ensuring that each Snap does not mishandle keys or expose user data in any other way. The developers behind each Snap are experts in creating wallets on their respective chains. The source code of each Snap is public, meaning anyone can audit their code and report issues promptly when discovered. We believe this approach ensures the long-term stability and security of Snaps.

ERC-4337 & Permissionless Access

7. ChainCatcher: MetaMask is undoubtedly the leader in the wallet space. Will the popular ERC-4337 have an impact on the next phase of MetaMask's updates?

Christian: We view ERC-4337 as an opportunity to explore new account management solutions and improve the web3 user experience. We are exploring ERC-4337 through Snaps and inviting developers to build ERC-4337 wallets within Snaps.

8. ChainCatcher: MetaMask has always been one of the top Web3 traffic entry points. With the increasing maturity of Snaps and the return of Non-EVM users, MetaMask will undoubtedly have more competitive advantages. How does MetaMask view competition and cooperation with other wallets? How does it view the increasing number of exchanges launching built-in web3 wallets?

Christian: As you mentioned, we believe that competition and cooperation are beneficial for Web3 and the world. MetaMask welcomes competition and collaboration. Regarding built-in wallets from exchanges, we always believe that competition is healthy, but we are also committed to striving for decentralized solutions.

9. ChainCatcher: The launch of Snaps means that the community can expand existing programs without permission. Can you elaborate on MetaMask's efforts for permissionless access and the direction of future development?

Christian: Through Snaps, we aim to encourage third-party developers to apply their unique expertise to build on our platform, thereby fully unleashing the innovative potential of web3. As you emphasized earlier, MetaMask envisions an open, permissionless innovation system where any web3 developer can build a Snap and provide it to users, creating a community-driven platform. In the future, we will integrate Snaps into the MetaMask extension in a more profound way, bringing users unprecedented new experiences.

Towards Mass Adoption

10. ChainCatcher: How does MetaMask view the concept of "mass adoption"? Can the launch of Snaps be seen as an important step in promoting mass adoption? At the same time, some believe that the social track will be a more attractive traffic entry point in 2024, comparing recent actions by Telegram with MetaMask. What are your thoughts on this view?

Christian: Innovations that provide personalized user experiences are still crucial for eliminating entry barriers and promoting the development of the Web3 ecosystem, with the ultimate goal of having 1 billion users using Web3. Each wave of internet applications has been driven by personalization. Web 1.0 had GeoCities, Web 2.0 had MySpace. When users can personalize their experiences through wallets and the protocols they use, Web 3.0 will experience exponential growth.

11. ChainCatcher: Many MetaMask users have compared MetaMask to Google due to the launch of the Snaps plugin. Many readers in the Chinese community also compare MetaMask Snaps to WeChat mini-programs, which can also be customized. Focusing on developer freedom, what are the differences between MetaMask Snaps and Web2 "big companies" like Google and Tencent? Additionally, I personally believe that liberating developers' thinking from the bear market may be a good way to break the deadlock. What unique significance do you think developers have for the MetaMask ecosystem and even the entire Web3? What advice do you have for developers who want to participate in building MetaMask Snaps?

Christian: This comparison may relate to how Google and WeChat encourage community developers to contribute applications and extensions to their products. However, the main difference is that Google and WeChat adopt a centralized developer onboarding approach, while Snaps aims to promote decentralization.

With Snaps, developers can bring their unique expertise into the wallet experience. Currently, MetaMask has 40 third-party Snaps available, and their significance is evident. These Snaps include support for multiple blockchain protocols outside of Ethereum, decentralized messaging and notifications, and security solutions that ensure user safety in web3.

Developers interested in contributing to Snaps can start by familiarizing themselves with our developer documentation and trying to build their own Snaps. With our easy-to-learn tutorials, anyone can get started in just 30 minutes!