Privacy-focused web browser Brave announced on Friday the rollout of a new feature that allows users to not only buy cryptocurrency but also now sell it for fiat—including U.S. dollars, euros, and the British pound—without leaving the integrated Brave Wallet.
Self-custody and the “not your keys, not your coins” mantra have regained momentum following the collapse of prominent cryptocurrency firms like Celsius and FTX. Brave said it aims to make crypto self-custody easier with this new desktop browser feature, which is powered by crypto on-ramp startup Ramp Network.
“After recent events where centralized exchanges mishandled customer funds, it’s more important than ever to offer secure and easy-to-manage self-custody,” the company said in a post announcing the update.
According to Brave, users in select countries can now sell their coins for fiat, including Ethereum, Solana, USDC, and Brave’s own Basic Attention Token (BAT). The company said that 38 cryptocurrencies can be sold via the off-ramp service.
“While self-custody has grown in popularity over the past decade, the most common way to hold digital currency and tokens remains with centralized exchanges,” the company added. “We expect to see that shift with innovations in user experience, like the one we are releasing today.”
Launched in 2016, Brave blocks online advertisements and website trackers by default, making it a popular web browsing tool for privacy-minded individuals. In 2017, Brave added the Basic Attention Token, which rewards users for allowing the browser to show advertisements while they surf the web.
Brave then announced a deal with Ramp in May 2022 that enabled users to buy crypto with fiat currency via the Brave Wallet installed within Brave’s desktop and mobile browsers.
Last month, Brave added support for decentralized applications (dapps) using the Solana blockchain on its iOS and Android mobile browsers, allowing users to connect to platforms like the Solana-centric NFT marketplace, Magic Eden.
