March 6, 2024—Brave, the privacy-centric web browser with over 60 million users, has launched an update to its desktop version (1.63) that adds support for Native SegWit Bitcoin wallets to its built-in Brave Wallet. This update also allows users to send and receive from all types of Bitcoin addresses, including Legacy, Nested SegWit, Native SegWit, and Taproot, ensuring compatibility with external wallets.
This development comes amid increasing institutional interest in Bitcoin, particularly following the recent approval of several Bitcoin ETFs in the United States. Bitcoin continues to solidify its position as a resilient asset class, extending its use beyond peer-to-peer transactions to encompass functions as a store of value and as a platform for innovation in areas such as NFTs and DeFi, according to Brave’s announcement.
“Our goal with Brave Wallet is to provide the most secure and privacy-focused software wallet for everyday use,” stated James Mudgett, VP of Web3 Products at Brave. “As the Bitcoin ecosystem grows with new apps and services, Brave Wallet will prioritize security and privacy to help protect users’ assets.”
Looking ahead, Brave plans to introduce more features to enhance privacy within Brave Wallet. The company also aims to enable users to store BRC-20 tokens and Ordinals within Brave Wallet, with these features expected to be available across all desktop and mobile versions of the browser later this year.