Thomas Daniels
Solana developers have unveiled two innovative tools designed to boost mass crypto adoption and facilitate crypto transactions across various internet platforms. The Solana Foundation introduced “Actions” and “Blinks,” which enable users to broadcast cryptocurrency transactions to the SOL blockchain from outside native decentralized apps (dapps).
With “Actions,” users can conduct on-chain swaps or transactions from any platform with a URL, including social networks and QR Codes. “Blinks” expands on a Farcaster feature called Frames, allowing users to share links for supported Actions.
Jon Wong, Solana Foundation’s Head of Ecosystem Engineering, stated on Tuesday that Actions and Blinks would allow for direct transactions from wallets like Phantom, NFT acquisitions on Tensor, voting on Realms proposals, subscribing to Access Protocol newsletters, and crypto swaps on Jupiter exchange, among others.
“We must reach the ‘first billion’ users where they already are—on their favorite apps and websites,” Wong emphasized, highlighting the Foundation’s strategy to onboard a billion people to crypto. Other projects, including Backpack, Cubik, Helius, Helium, Sanctum, and Truffle, are planning to test Actions and Blinks as these tools roll out to end-users.
Potential Risks and Mitigations
Despite the potential for widespread adoption, concerns remain. The introduction of these tools could expose users to phishing campaigns if malicious actors exploit the ability to initiate transactions from any website. Sharable links enabled by Blinks may further incentivize hackers to spread malicious URLs aimed at compromising private keys and draining assets.
To mitigate these risks, development shop Dialect announced a collaboration with Solana, Phantom, and other protocols to create a public registry of Actions. However, a strategy to address potential vulnerabilities in Blinks is still unclear.
Solana’s Position and Future Prospects
Over the past year, Solana has established itself as a leading blockchain due to its low-cost transactions and adaptable token standards. While these attributes have driven mass adoption, they have also strained the network, resulting in occasional downtimes. The surge in activity, particularly from memecoins, has contributed to a record high of nearly 42 million monthly active SOL addresses.
Developers have implemented fixes to enhance the network’s stability, ensuring uninterrupted service for several consecutive months. Industry observers, like LinksDAO founder Mike Dudas, believe these on-chain improvements and new tools like Actions will be crucial for Solana’s future and the broader crypto ecosystem.
