Dash, the cryptocurrency and Decentralized Autonomous Organization, has started testing a new wallet. We had to wait for quite a while now, but the DashCopay wallet has finally gone into beta.
In this article, we give a quick overview of the DashCopay wallet and the future implications of this beta phase.
DashCopay
The Dash Core Group, one of the main governance bodies of Dash’s decentralized network, announced that the team is preparing the official launch of the DashCopay wallet by testing the beta version of the software.
The wallet is specifically designed for smartphones and the current testing phase is for 2 operating systems, iOS and Android.
The testing for iOS will be a private beta, while the Android version is open to the public to be tested. The first 30 days of the testing phase will the beta version for the testnet, followed by testing on the mainnet in the subsequent 30 days.
To participate in the Android testing, you can download the DashCopay app in the Google Play store.
The upcoming launch of this wallet is a big deal for Dash, as seen by large number of features included in this wallet:
- Create and import personal wallets
- View entire transaction history
- Create address book
- Set network fees
- Set local currency
- Create and join shared wallets
- Invite friends via email, text or social media
For more experienced cryptocurrency enthusiasts, most of these features have become standards. However, as there was no previous decent mobile wallet for Dash, the DashCopay wallet and these “standard” features are much needed.
The Dash Core wallet, which is the current official wallet, was already available for Dash users, but it had its disadvantages and was missing some features. This new wallet aims to deliver these features, in a light version. The wallet doesn’t need to download and sync with the entire blockchain, making it much more accessible.
Of note are 2 features of the newly created wallet — the ability to create and join shared wallets as well as the capability to invite friends — which indicate a focus on encouraging sharing and collaboration within the Dash community.
This is a sound addition as the real value of cryptocurrencies is decided by the size of the network. Including social features in the design of the mobile wallet is definitely a step in the right direction in terms of boosting network effect for Dash.
Next Steps
The soon-to-be-launched DashCopay wallet is specifically designed to simplify online payments with Dash, gearing the network for mass adoption. Additionally, in response to feedback and demand from the community, DashCopay will be a multi-signature mobile wallet. Multi-signature wallets are protected by multiple keys, and are therefore much safer.
The team developing the wallet has indicated that the frequent delays in development were due to unanticipated issues and challenges they came across when they were designing it. The 2 phases of testing which the DashCopay wallet is currently entering have been scheduled to ensure that all of these issues and challenges will be worked out before the full version of the wallet is launched.
After the 2 testing rounds, the wallet is expected to start rolling out to users, based on geographical area. Based on the current situation, the DashCopay wallet is expected to be officially released on August 20, 2018.
Related: Will Dash Hit its Stride in 2018 Despite Development Delays?
