Unlock NFTs, DeFi, Gaming and Dapps

The complete guide to getting started

ZenGo: Your Secure Bridge to Web3

From NFTs on OpenSea, trading on Uniswap, earning yield through Lido, and gaming in The Sandbox, use WalletConnect with ZenGo to securely connect to the wonderful world of Dapps (decentralized apps). We like to think of WalletConnect as a safe ‘magic’ bridge to the infinite Web3 cosmos.

Keep reading below ⬇️ to learn more about WalletConnect, and get started today!

Note: ZK rollup-based apps are not currently supported by ZenGo.

gm Web3 😀

Connect and log in to thousands of exciting Dapps (decentralized apps) that use the Ethereum blockchain. But before you start accessing Dapps, you’ll need a secure and stable connection – and that’s where WalletConnect comes in.

WalletConnect is an open-source protocol that acts as a secure bridge to the wonderful (but uncharted) universe of Dapps and Web3. Much like ZenGo, WalletConnect works like magic – and also a lot of advanced cryptography 💪 

So: What is WalletConnect?

Imagine you’re at the airport in Miami and you want to fly to London. You’ve done all the normal preparation, and you arrive at the airport, ready to hop on your flight.

When you get to the airport, you arrive at the check-in counter, where you’re in for a big surprise: instead of going to London, you now have the option of going anywhere – in the entire universe. You can go to outer space! You can go to Bermuda! You can go to the end of the world and back, and there’s no extra charge.

What’s the catch? Well, before you hop on your big adventure, you’ll need to verify your identity. And because you’re going on a bigger adventure than you anticipated, your passport isn’t enough and you will need some extra security protocols to make sure you’re fully protected for the journey.

WalletConnect is that extra security step – an open-source protocol to communicate securely between cryptocurrency Wallets and Dapps (decentralized Web3 applications). It confirms your identity and helps you safely get to where you want to go in the Web3 universe – all from your trusted cryptowallet.

How can I get Started?

To get started with WalletConnect, download ZenGo. There is no WalletConnect app.

It's simple! Just 3 steps:

It's simple! Just 3 steps:

Step 1:
On your computer or mobile device, navigate to the desired Dapp, like Uniswap!

Step 2:
Tap on the button that says “Connect Wallet.” A QR code will pop up.

Step 3:
Open ZenGo on your mobile phone and tap the WalletConnect icon. Scan the QR code.

Success!
Finish by approving the connection inside ZenGo.

For further detailed step-by-step technical instructions on how to use WalletConnect, check out our ZenGo WalletConnect FAQ. Please note: ZK rollup-based apps are not currently supported by ZenGo.

Dapps Bonanza! Where to start

You may be wondering how to actually use WalletConnect – WalletConnect gives you access to hundreds of Dapps from virtually any cryptowallet. This protocol opens up the option for you to do everything from buying and selling NFTs to earning yield in decentralized finance Dapps.

Here’s a few of our favorite Dapps to get you started:

NFTs

Opensea: The world’s first and largest NFT marketplace.

Games

Sandbox: a decentralized virtual reality platform and the ‘first ever virtual world owned by its users.

Dex

Uniswap: The leading decentralized crypto trading protocol, and it can be used for providing liquidity and trading tokens on Ethereum. You can learn more about Uniswap’s key concepts here.

DeFi

Lido: A liquid staking solution for Ethereum, backed by industry-leading staking providers, letting users stake their ETH. You can find more info here.

ENS

ENS is also know as The Ethereum Name Service (ENS): It's a distributed, open, and extensible naming system based on the Ethereum blockchain.

DAOs

ClimateDAO: ​​unites everyday investors with tools to put a dent in climate change

Security Tips: Do's & Dont’s

Do’s
  • Enjoy exploring the hundreds of exciting Dapps – just make sure to check the Dapp site’s URL to see if you are using a real Dapp.

  • Watch out for fakes and scams – WalletConnect will never contact you offering support, or ask for your private key or wallet seed words.

  • Follow the best practice of disconnecting your wallet from the Dapp and revoking access when you're done using the Dapp.

  • If you do suspect that you’ve been scammed, transfer your assets to a new wallet immediately. Speed is of the essence!

Dont’s
  • For non-ZenGo crypto wallets: Never share your private key or seed phrase with anyone. (If you're a ZenGo user this is not a vulnerability for you!)

  • Don't click on the first link in your search results when searching for a Dapp (especially if it’s a paid ad).

  • Don't click on a link sent to you by someone you do not know - it might be a phishing link pretending to be a legitimate Dapp or service.

Why ZenGo: Simple & Secure

With ZenGo, you’re 3 simple steps away from the Web3 universe. See below to learn why ZenGo is your simple & secure bridge to Web3!

With ZenGo
  • Set up ZenGo
  • Buy / Transfer ETH
  • Connect to Web3 dapps
Without ZenGo
  • Set up wallet
  • Create & securely store 12-24 seed phrase backup where won't get lost or stolen
  • Create exchange account
  • Buy ETH, Send ETH to wallet
  • Connect wallet to Web3
  • Never share your seed phrase - but also don't lose it!

Why does WalletConnect Matter?

Until now, a challenge in the Ethereum blockchain has been bridging the gap for users between cryptowallets and Dapps. There are thousands of fun and helpful Dapps to explore on Ethereum blockchain that can help you do anything from buy NFTs to play games on the blockchain and earn tokens, or even deposit assets in pools or protocols to earn interest.

However, until WalletConnect, if you wanted to interact with Dapps, you had a limited choice of using desktop browser-only extensions or a combined mobile wallet/Ethereum browser. While these are technically functional options, they’re less user-friendly and can even result in security implications, keeping your funds ‘stuck’ on one platform and making it difficult to access from a mobile device.
We checked in with Pedro Gomes, the founder of WalletConnect, and he explained that:

WalletConnect’s goal since inception is [to] improve the user experience for Wallet users. Mobile has conquered the web - that should be available to Web3!
Pedro Gomes, founder of WalletConnect

WalletConnect has tremendous potential to increase usability of Dapps. WalletConnect potentially addresses one of the main obstacles to mainstream adoption of a decentralized web – creating more UX friendly ways for users to securely manage and control their keys. The WalletConnect protocol is a game changer because it makes using Dapps secure and easy. WalletConnect has been specifically designed to connect to “Any wallet. Any Dapp. Any chain,” making it the most versatile and accessible way for you to access Dapps.

5 Critical Parts of WalletConnect’s Ecosystem

If you’re newer to crypto or the Ethereum blockchain, here’s a refresher on some of the key crypto concepts fundamental to understanding WalletConnect and exactly how it works:

Protocols are basic sets of rules that allow data to be shared between computers. Specifically, Crypto protocols establish the structure of the blockchain as a distributed database, allowing for digital money to be decentralized and securely exchanged across a network of computers without a central hub or authority.

Cryptocurrency Wallets are secure, digital wallets for organizing your cryptocurrency (the cryptocurrency is stored on the blockchain, while the wallet only holds the specific information needed to carry out a crypto transaction). There are dozens of different wallets available, each with different benefits and downsides. At ZenGo, we’re proud to offer the first keyless cryptocurrency wallet — the most simple and secure way to manage your crypto assets, including Ethereum.

Ethereum is known as the world’s “programmable blockchain”. It offers a technology that lets you send cryptocurrency to anyone for a small fee, and also powers applications that everyone can use and no one can takedown.

Dapps (Web3 Apps) or ‘decentralized applications’ are a type of application that use the Ethereum blockchain for data storage and smart contracts for their app logic.

WalletConnect essentially acts as a ‘bridge’ to Dapps – connecting users to the Dapps they love via the cryptowallets they already use and love (There are hundreds of WalletConnect compatible wallets). According to their website, the WalletConnect protocol is aiming to be the “new web3 standard to connect blockchain wallets to Dapps.” With WalletConnect, a cryptowallet can act as an instant gateway for users to access dApps on blockchains such as Ethereum.

The Top 5 Features of WalletConnect

WalletConnect comes with a suite of features, here’s some of the most important ones:

Secure Encryption

An absolute must when it comes to crypto transactions. The protocol establishes a remote connection between two apps and/or devices. These payloads are symmetrically encrypted through a shared key between the two peers.

Multichain Support

This feature allows connection to a wallet with one or more chains simultaneously and sending transactions to different chains at the same time. This will enable apps to interface with wallets on multiple chains at the same time!

Chain Agnostic

WalletConnect is considered chain ‘agnostic,’ meaning it can interoperate with any blockchain, as well as support new blockchains.

Push Server

WalletConnect includes an optional Push server to allow native applications to notify the user of incoming payloads for established connections.

It feels like magic!

While this isn’t a technical feature, WalletConnect does have a fun ‘wow’ experience factor with a quick QR-based connection experience.

Fun Facts about WalletConnect

  • There are no fees associated with using the WalletConnect protocol (though there are fees charged by the Ethereum network!)

  • WalletConnect was co-founded by Pedro Gomes, a full stack engineer based in Barcelona. According to his LinkedIn profile, Pedro is focused on “Developing software solutions for decentralized identity and digital wallet authentication.” In doing our super serious diligence for this article, the ZenGo team spoke to Pedro about why he started WalletConnect and he shared that he really “….just wanted to connect my wallet 😅 ” to the Web3 ecosystem!

  • Pedro’s deeper motivation for creating WalletConnect was “…to provide a much better experience on the wallet side that isn’t Metamask or another browser extension. Mobile has conquered the Web and that should be available to Web3.”

  • WalletConnect is hiring! They’re currently hiring a few roles based out of Brooklyn, NY.

  • The WalletConnect community is spread out among its Twitter, GitHub, and Discord.

How Does WalletConnect Work?

The WalletConnect protocol works by establishing a remote connection between two apps and/or devices using a Bridge server (see our Advanced section for more detail), with the connection initiated by displaying a QR code or deep link, and the other party approving the connection request. Behind the scenes, WalletConnect is doing a lot of work to securely connect between a Dapp and your crypto wallet. Here’s a simplified view of the process!

Advanced: The Future of WalletConnect (1.0 v. 2.0)

The WalletConnect team has been working on developing a WalletConnect 2.0 protocol and has released a 2.0 beta. The new 2.0 protocol has a similar user experience, but introduces many “new features and advantages,” including being chain-agnostic (supports new blockchains), multisession, and platform agnostic.

According to WalletConnect, “The protocol establishes a remote connection between two apps and/or devices using a Bridge server to relay payloads. These payloads are symmetrically encrypted through a shared key between the two peers. The connection is initiated by one peer displaying a QR Code or deep link with a standard WalletConnect URI and is established when the counter-party approves this connection request.”

WalletConnect technical specification can be found here.
More information and the WalletConnect sequence diagram can be found here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I learn more about WalletConnect functionality inside of ZenGo?
A: Learn more here.

Q: Is it free to use WalletConnect?
A: Using the WalletConnect protocol is free, however, it may cost you Ether (ETH) network fees to approve, revoke, and sign different types of transactions, depending on the Dapp and what you are trying to do. Always make sure you have enough ETH in your wallet to support the transactions you want to make!

Q: I have a question not addressed on this page.
A: No worries! Reach out directly to our legendary 24/7 live support, directly inside the ZenGo app. Simply tap on the top-right corner to get started. You can also send us an email to [email protected] 

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