Opera, the fourth most popular web browser worldwide, now supports Unstoppable Domains, the blockchain-based domain name provider whose domains are not usually accessible on regular browsers without extensions.
Unstoppable Domains was created for the purpose of an “uncensorable web,” that’s free from censorship by Big Tech corporations, such as Google and dictators. It provides domain names for decentralized websites hosted on IPFS (InterPlanetary File System).
IPFS is a web content hosting technology that uses a peer-to-peer protocol to store and retrieve files. IPFS stores files in a decentralized manner, meaning files are stored in different places around the world. The distributed network is made possible by users around the globe who have shared their computing power.
Unstoppable Domains makes the IPFS websites easy to access as .crypto URLS. However, they are not accessible on regular browsers. In February 2020, Unstoppable Domains launched its own browser, and later introduced browser extensions for Chrome and Brave. But now, Opera has fully integrated support for .crypto URLS, making them accessible by Opera users across all devices.
“Making Unstoppable Domains accessible in the Opera browsers means our users can try blockchain technologies for themselves,” said Opera Product Director Maciej Kocemba. “Registering your .crypto domain, which is forever yours, is a great first step into Web3.”
Domain names provided by Unstoppable Domains are also NFTs (non-fungible tokens). The guarantee the owner proof of ownership of the domain.
“Unstoppable Domains’ expansion of decentralized websites to all Opera Browser platforms gives more people a simple way to own high-functionality NFT domains and access the decentralized web,” CEO Matthew Gould said via press release.
Opera’s integration of Unstoppable Domains might attract cryptocurrency users and enthusiasts. The integration also means it has started competing with Brave, which integrated began supporting .crypto URLS and IPFS on mobile last March, and also has a cryptocurrency wallet.
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