Bitcoin Becomes a Part of Browser Wars; Facebook’s Libra Already in Trouble

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The browser wars never seem to end. In order to stay ahead of the others, every browser right now introduces new unique features. Sometimes it’s the search engine, sometimes it’s a mobile feature – whatever it is, the browser wars are great from the point of view of the user. Not long ago, cryptocurrency owners got great news – Bitcoin just entered the browser wars after Opera announced the integration of Bitcoin payments to its last Android update.

It’s not just Bitcoin – the mobile browser update also introduced the TRON blockchain to the equation which, according to experts, will be a massive boost for the cryptocurrency economy.

The First Step Toward Web 3.0

This is not the first time Opera has pivoted towards cryptocurrencies. In 2018, the mobile opera app for Android piloted and Ether digital wallet. It was meant the be the first step toward Web 3.0 or what Opera believes is a decentralized Internet built solely on a blockchain.

One of the oldest apps on the web, Opera has enjoyed a resurgence in the past few years. Chrome and Firefox are still on top of the list of favorite internet browsers, but thanks to Opera’s efforts and its latest Bitcoin payment introduction, things could change soon. Users have been asking for native Bitcoin support, yet Google and Mozilla stayed silent. Opera has taken advantage of the situation, now expanding its mobile app with BTC digital wallet functionality.

Before the most recent Android update, Opera already released a crypto-friendly iOS browser, added native digital wallet support to its desktop version, and even partnered with a Swedish crypto broker (for ETH). All of Opera’s apps are now primed for the Web 3.0 project, especially with the addition of BTC payments.

According to representatives of the company, Bitcoin support was planned to hit the browser earlier, yet it proved a different challenge. With its own infrastructure and a payment-focused scenario, the company had a big challenge on its hands. Thankfully, they’ve succeeded, making Opera the first web browser with native digital wallet Bitcoin support. It’s music to crypto traders’ ears.

Facebook’s Libra Already Dead?

Libra, Facebook’s proposed online payment has yet to launch and it’s already in trouble. Considered by many as a Bitcoin-slayer, Libra is yet to receive the backing Facebook was hoping for. It still hasn’t launched and rumors that Libra will not launch at all are already circulating online.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder, recently said that Libra won’t be launched without the approval of the US Congress. This was a small part of his remarks released a few days ago in advance of the planned hearings before the US House of Financial Services Committee. Zuckerberg’s comments come after the bad rep Libra has suffered online.

The public’s trust in Facebook decreased significantly after last year’s Cambridge Analytica scandal which exposed the private data of over 50 million users without their permission.

It seems that Libra’s obituary has already been written, which is another big blow to the controversial social media platform.