What Is WalletConnect? The QR Code That Grew Into Web3’s Backbone

WalletConnect Surpasses 256M Connections as Web3’s Core Connectivity Layer, powering secure communication across 600+ wallets and 61,000+ decentralized applications with end-to-end encrypted infrastructure and chain-agnostic support.

Now supporting over 40.7 million unique wallets and 5.2 million monthly active users, WalletConnect is the trusted protocol behind major platforms like MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Kraken, and Nansen.

With 179 million connections in 2024 and a 95% year-over-year increase in wallet usage, the protocol has become a vital backbone for the growing on-chain economy, enabling seamless NFT minting, DeFi execution, and DAO participation without compromising user privacy.

A Brief History: From QR Codes to Global Infrastructure

Founded in 2018 by Pedro Gomes, WalletConnect originated as a solution to bridge the gap between mobile wallets and desktop-based dApps. Using QR codes for connectivity, the initial implementation introduced a user-friendly way to enable wallet-dApp interactions.

By 2023, the protocol evolved with the development of WalletConnect version 2.0, introducing multi-chain support, performance improvements, and a decentralization roadmap. In 2024, the project further transitioned with the launch of node operators and the WalletConnect Foundation, laying the foundation for a community-owned, permissionless network.

What Is the WalletConnect Network?

WalletConnect now functions as a decentralized, chain-agnostic network facilitating real-time communication between apps and wallets. Its infrastructure supports various chains, including EVM-compatible networks, Solana, Cosmos, Polkadot, and Bitcoin.

The system relies on a relay layer built over a rendezvous hashing-based database, which is optimized for low latency, high throughput, and end-to-end encryption — features designed to support seamless interactions in real-time environments.

Developers can integrate WalletConnect using SDKs and open standards like CAIPs, maintaining interoperability across decentralized applications and blockchains.

Key Metrics: Adoption by the Numbers

Over the past year, the WalletConnect Network has grown significantly, providing a backbone of connectivity to the on-chain ecosystem during a behemoth year for the industry’s development, growth, and overall usage.

In 2023, WalletConnect enabled 7.2 million users to make 41 million connections. By the end of 2024, those numbers had risen to over 31 million users and 179 million connections, marking more than a fourfold increase.

Monthly activity also surged. In December 2023, the network handled 9.4 million connections from 2.4 million users. By December 2024, it recorded over 22 million monthly connections and 5.8 million active users, a 140% year-over-year increase.

The number of integrated applications grew from 16,500 in 2023 to over 51,800 by the end of 2024, with 13,500 apps actively connecting in a single month.

As of February 2025, WalletConnect has achieved significant adoption milestones:

• Total Connections: 256 million
• Unique Wallets: 40.7 million
• Monthly Active Wallets: 5.2 million
• App Integrations: 58,900
• Year-over-Year Growth in Monthly Wallets: +95%

The data highlights WalletConnect’s position as a trusted gateway in Web3 interactions — used by individuals managing NFT collections and institutions executing DeFi strategies.

The Engine Behind 600+ Wallets and 61K+ Apps

WalletConnect is integrated into widely used wallets such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet, OKX, and Bitget Wallet and is relied upon by applications such as Kraken, Nansen, Galxe, ChainGPT, and Across.

This widespread adoption is attributed to WalletConnect’s emphasis on open-source development, strong encryption, and user privacy. End-to-end encrypted communications ensure that relay operators cannot access wallet addresses, transaction data, or user messages.

The result is a secure, user-friendly experience that enables widespread participation without compromising on security or decentralization principles.