The Solana Foundation has launched “Actions” and “Blinks,” innovative pathways allowing users to broadcast cryptocurrency transactions to the SOL blockchain from outside native decentralized apps (dapps).
With Actions, users can settle on-chain swaps or transactions from any platform with a URL. This can be executed on social networks and via QR Codes. Blinks enhances a Farcaster feature called Frames to facilitate shareable links for supported Actions. Jon Wong, Solana Foundation’s head of ecosystem engineering, stated on Tuesday that Actions and Blinks will enable users to send funds directly from a wallet like Phantom, acquire NFTs on Tensor, vote on Realms proposals, subscribe to Access Protocol newsletters and content, and perform crypto swaps on the Jupiter exchange, among other uses.
“We must reach the ‘first billion’ users where they already are—on their favorite apps and websites,” Wong said, referring to solutions for onboarding a billion people to crypto. Other projects, such as Backpack, Cubik, Helius, Helium, Sanctum, and Truffle, also plan to test Solana’s Actions and Blinks as the tools are introduced to end-users.
Potential Risks and Concerns
Since its inception, mass adoption and mainstream integration have been centerpieces of the decentralized thesis. For years, developers have debated and theorized how to propel on-chain utility to larger user bases safely.
This conundrum has led several crypto startups to add support for Web2 entities like PayPal and strike partnerships with Visa. However, many have insisted that true viral adoption of crypto should happen via blockchain products tailored to market demand.
While Actions and Blinks may offer a gateway to achieving this, concerns abound due to bad actors and crypto scammers prowling digital asset corridors. Some users have pointed out that allowing any website to serve as a launch point for crypto transactions on the Solana blockchain could expose user funds to phishing campaigns mimicking genuine platforms. Shareable links made possible by Blinks may also incentivize hackers to spread malicious URLs used to compromise private keys and drain assets.
As a working solution, development shop Dialect has disclosed a collaboration with Solana, Phantom, and other adjacent protocols to create a public registry of Actions. It’s unclear whether a Blink loophole mitigation strategy is also underway.
Could Solana Be the “Everything Chain”?
In the past 12 months, Solana has solidified its position among top blockchains due to its cheap transactions and easy-to-ship token standards. While these traits have served as a rallying cry for proponents who believe the network is primed for mass adoption, it has also strained the chain and caused downtime on several occasions.
Much of the congestion may be attributed to memecoins, which have seen a surge in activity in recent months. However, adoption has also reportedly raised monthly active SOL addresses to an all-time high of nearly 42 million. Developers have shipped fixes to bolster the network’s ability to maintain uptime without fail for several consecutive months.
In the long run, observers like LinksDAO founder Mike Dudas believe on-chain improvements and product shipments like Actions may be pivotal for Solana and crypto adoption as a whole.
