- Vitalk Buterin has shared his views on the use of the “sign in with Google” option in crypto wallets
- Buterin said that he isn’t a fan of the feature but admitted that it has a net effect on crypto adoption
- Buterin also noted that the feature is likely to grow in popularity in the crypto and blockchain world
Vitalik Buterin has discussed the use of third-party options like “sign in with Google” when accessing crypto wallets and blockchain projects. The Ethereum co-founder believes such options aren’t ideal in the crypto/blockchain sector but said that they’re unavoidable and have a positive impact on crypto/blockchain adoption. The Ethereum co–founder’s views come barely a week after clarifying his DeFi stand, a sign that he envisions a truly decentralized space.
Buterin “Betrayed by Google”
Buterin disclosed that he has “been betrayed by Google once” and also has a bad history with “badly-designed MPC (multi-party computation) solution[s].” He added that he doesn’t think the risks posed by centralized authentication options are negligible.
According to Buterin, the negative effects of these options can be mitigated through the use of zero-knowledge emails or zkEmail. Buterin advised wallet/crypto/blockchain projects to offer new users “1-of-1 zkEmail” because “the risk that Google betrays them is lower.”
He also suggested that advanced crypto users should be allowed to “set their own guardians, […] zkEmail-like wrappers around various centralized IDs,” among other options.
DeFi Projects Need True Decentralization
Buterin’s thoughts on mitigating the risks of web2 technologies when applied in the web3 space add to his other past views on how decentralization should be. While responding to claims that he doesn’t support DeFi, Buterin clarified that he supports DeFi projects provided they’re truly decentralized.
Buterin has also declared support for decentralized social media platforms like Farcaster which he believes has a superior operating model that will help hoist its popularity and lifespan.
With most crypto projects like wallets and exchanges embracing third-party authentication options, it’s to be seen whether they’ll rework them to make them less risky.
