The following is a guest post and analysis from Nanfeng Jie, Lead Product Manager at Trust Wallet.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a clear shift in how people interact with digital assets. More users are choosing self-custody as a deliberate move toward greater control and accountability. This trend is reflected in the rapid rise of tools like Trust Wallet, one of the most widely used self-custodial wallets in Web3.

At Trust Wallet, we’ve seen firsthand how quickly expectations are evolving. Users want more than security — they want simplicity. That insight guided our decision to become one of the first wallets to support EIP-7702, Ethereum’s latest proposal to make externally owned accounts (EOAs) behave like smart contracts. It’s what led to the development of FlexGas, a feature that allows users to pay gas fees with tokens they already hold, such as USDT, TWT, or BNB, directly from their wallet.

Now, let’s take a step back and examine the broader market context and the real-world pain points that led us to rethink how gas fees should work.

Recent market research values the non-custodial wallet sector at $1.5 billion in 2023, with projections reaching $3.5 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 8% from 2024 to 2031.

But scale alone doesn’t tell the whole story, because the user experience hasn’t kept pace. People still juggle across chains, manually manage gas balances, and abandon transactions when approvals don’t make sense.

One of the most common pieces of feedback wallet teams hear from users is simple: “I don’t want to think about gas — I just want the transaction to go through.” And it’s a fair point. Gas fees aren’t just a cost; they’re a cognitive burden. Every failed or delayed transaction chips away at trust in the system.

The issue’s root lies in the architecture we’ve relied on for over a decade: EOA, the default wallet type for most users. It’s lightweight and secure, but wasn’t designed for the programmable, dynamic interactions that define today’s decentralized applications (DApps).

That’s why the Ethereum EIP-7702 proposal represents such a meaningful shift.

A Flexible New Layer for Wallet Behavior

First proposed by Vitalik Buterin in May 2024, EIP-7702 introduces a subtle but essential evolution in how Ethereum accounts work. It allows EOAs to temporarily take on smart contract behavior within a single transaction, bringing the benefits of account abstraction (AA) without forcing users to migrate to new account types or give up their seed phrase–based control.

With EIP-7702, users maintain full custody of their assets while gaining access to more flexible transaction logic. That means bundling approvals and actions into a single tap, enabling recurring payments, or supporting delegated session keys without separate smart contracts.

Simply put, EIP-7702 means fewer steps, less confusion, and a smoother user experience. Transactions are faster and more predictable, allowing gas fees to be paid using tokens already held without the need for native assets in advance.

Technically speaking, EIP-7702 acts as a modular extension to the EOA model. The user signs an intent, which may contain custom logic, and the wallet executes that intent through a temporary contract. Once the transaction is complete, the account returns to its standard EOA state, unlocking a more intelligent transaction layer for developers and infrastructure providers.

In turn, Web3 starts to behave more like something built for real people, not protocols.

Building the Infrastructure Behind the Abstraction

Supporting EIP-7702 at scale requires more than integrating a new transaction type or making user interface (UI) updates. It demands a robust, modular backend infrastructure capable of interpreting user intent, dynamically routing gas, and reliably executing complex actions across chains.

At Trust Wallet, we chose not to rely on third-party abstractions or SDKs. Instead, we developed our own account abstraction engine entirely in-house, built to be secure, scalable, and chain-agnostic. This modular system includes:

• Paymaster – for handling custom gas logic and token-based gas payments
• Bundler – for optimizing multi-step transactions
• Relayer – for robust, fast submission of abstracted transactions
• Gas Provisioner – for managing gas sources and routing across networks intelligently

This internal architecture gives Trust Wallet a lasting edge in performance and reliability, while setting a new standard for EOA-based smart wallet design. It also paved the way for FlexGas, the first prominent feature we built on this foundation. FlexGas allows users to pay gas fees with tokens such as USDT or TWT on Ethereum and BNB Chain.

Crucially, all of these enhancements preserve the essence of what makes self-custody appealing: users retain full control of their private keys, their seed phrases remain unchanged, and there’s no need to upgrade to a contract-based wallet. This balance (between power and autonomy) is what makes EIP-7702 such a significant upgrade rather than a disruptive replacement.

Shifting Wallets into Intelligent Agents

If widely adopted, EIP-7702 could become a defining layer in the next generation of Web3 infrastructure. It enables a future where wallets are responsive, intelligent agents — automating complex strategies, onboarding users, and unlocking frictionless interactions at scale.

The first real-world applications are already in motion. Features allowing users to pay for gas with tokens they already hold are nearly here. Gasless onboarding, automated execution strategies, wallet-as-a-service models, and smart transaction policies for institutional-grade use are all within reach.

The biggest breakthroughs in crypto often come not from radical overhauls, but from quiet upgrades that remove invisible frictions. EIP-7702 may be exactly that. It doesn’t change the way we think about Ethereum’s security model — it changes what that model can do for users.

Because at the end of the day, progress in Web3 doesn’t depend on how smart our contracts are. It depends on how natural they feel to use.

Mentioned in this article

Blockchain sharding, worded in the most succinct way possible, is the division of network activity into smaller, more manageable parts, to enhance performance and scalability. Execution sharding, more specifically speaking, involves breaking down the execution of smart contracts into smaller, more efficient pieces. Tahir Mahmood, co-founder of KRNL, and kOS, the company’s flagship product, are disrupting the execution sharding landscape with a fresh, innovative, and breakthrough approach

Should KRNL’s approach genuinely differ from traditional methods, such as data sharding, network sharding, and other approaches to execution sharding, it would prove critical to the future of dApps.

Sharding in Web3

Execution sharding is typically done using co-processors or separate environments, which can introduce inefficiencies and centralization issues. “Currently, the way people implement the equivalent of execution sharding is they tend to do it from the wallet level, or a different layer and different network altogether, as a way of managing the execution,” Tahir explains. “What we’re doing within KRNL is happening natively on the node, so that way it’s part of the standard transaction flow. It’s not a separate network, and it’s not a separate environment.”

People currently consider execution sharding to be tied to co-processors, which are dedicated environments. KRNL has an alternative approach, Tahir explains, “What we’re doing is we’re bringing the concept that all these layer ones and layer twos with all this functionality built on them, can be exposed without having to create unique specific environments, which is actually what co-processors are,” Tahir adds.

KRNL’s breakthrough solution

KRNL’s approach to execution sharding is fundamentally different from others looking to solve the sharding dilemma.

“Some protocols and projects are sharding at the consensus layer of the blockchain. Others are doing it as a proxy layer in front-end of the wallet but this places it outside of the native Ethereum architecture. This leads to a solution that lacks critical security,” Tahir explains. “We are taking a different approach by doing it natively on the node. This is a best-of-both-worlds scenario, making you natively part of the transaction flow, while allowing you to run computation pre-transaction with the requisite security.”

This approach allows KRNL to create a more efficient and secure system with kOS. Tahir states that

“We’re creating something that is much more than co-processors, which are dedicated environments. What we’re doing is exposing the functionality on different chains without having to create unique specific environments.”

kOS is being dubbed the “Superconnector”, offering app builders frictionless access to functions natively on the chain, making it inherently different from the existing suite of execution sharding solutions on the market. Unlike what LayerZero (LZ) does for assets, KRNL’s Superconnector makes boundless functionality available anywhere and by anyone, but with a more decentralized and secure approach. This ensures that application builders can access and utilize functions across different chains with minimal overhead, enhancing both performance and security.

Taking execution sharding omni-chain

KRNL’s long-term vision, Tahir shares, is to create a holistic ecosystem that enables developers to build truly decentralized applications without the inefficiencies and centralization issues that come with co-processors and other existing solutions. Thus, by enabling the execution of functions across multiple chains, KRNL is paving the way for more efficient and secure dApp development.

“We’re able to utilize the whole plethora of all those environments natively as they are, without having to do the heavy lifting to create something that is unique and specific as a co-processor,” Tahir notes.

KRNL’s Superconnector, kOS, is a reimagining of how execution sharding should be implemented. By enabling frictionless access to functions natively on-chain, KRNL breaks down all barriers to omni-chain dApp building. Make note, this is a game-changer for worldwide, democratized, and streamlined dApp developments. Even more importantly for developers, they will be able to register and monetize the features they create on KRNL’s upcoming marketplace.

Tahir & KRNL’s Future Vision

Tahir aims to expand KRNL technology from Ethereum to other EVM and non-EVM chains, creating a holistic ecosystem. “We see developers and builders being able to build feature-rich real-world applications with very little work, almost no code, and low-code solutions,” Tahir states.

This approach will allow developers to build more robust applications more quickly and efficiently.

“You’re now able to say, ‘I want to do XYZ on chain and off chain in the Web2 world,’ because that’s what really brings real-world applications to life,” Tahir adds.

KRNL’s innovative approach to execution sharding through the Superconnector will redefine how we think about decentralized applications. The future of execution sharding lies in KRNL’s natively on-chain approach, which is set to revolutionize the Web3 landscape, making real-world applications more accessible and robust.

Mentioned in this article

Blockchain sharding, worded in the most succinct way possible, is the division of network activity into smaller, more manageable parts, to enhance performance and scalability. Execution sharding, more specifically speaking, involves breaking down the execution of smart contracts into smaller, more efficient pieces. Tahir Mahmood, co-founder of KRNL, and kOS, the company’s flagship product, are disrupting the execution sharding landscape with a fresh, innovative, and breakthrough approach

Should KRNL’s approach genuinely differ from traditional methods, such as data sharding, network sharding, and other approaches to execution sharding, it would prove critical to the future of dApps.

Sharding in Web3

Execution sharding is typically done using co-processors or separate environments, which can introduce inefficiencies and centralization issues. “Currently, the way people implement the equivalent of execution sharding is they tend to do it from the wallet level, or a different layer and different network altogether, as a way of managing the execution,” Tahir explains. “What we’re doing within KRNL is happening natively on the node, so that way it’s part of the standard transaction flow. It’s not a separate network, and it’s not a separate environment.”

People currently consider execution sharding to be tied to co-processors, which are dedicated environments. KRNL has an alternative approach, Tahir explains, “What we’re doing is we’re bringing the concept that all these layer ones and layer twos with all this functionality built on them, can be exposed without having to create unique specific environments, which is actually what co-processors are,” Tahir adds.

KRNL’s breakthrough solution

KRNL’s approach to execution sharding is fundamentally different from others looking to solve the sharding dilemma.

“Some protocols and projects are sharding at the consensus layer of the blockchain. Others are doing it as a proxy layer in front-end of the wallet but this places it outside of the native Ethereum architecture. This leads to a solution that lacks critical security,” Tahir explains. “We are taking a different approach by doing it natively on the node. This is a best-of-both-worlds scenario, making you natively part of the transaction flow, while allowing you to run computation pre-transaction with the requisite security.”

This approach allows KRNL to create a more efficient and secure system with kOS. Tahir states that

“We’re creating something that is much more than co-processors, which are dedicated environments. What we’re doing is exposing the functionality on different chains without having to create unique specific environments.”

kOS is being dubbed the “Superconnector”, offering app builders frictionless access to functions natively on the chain, making it inherently different from the existing suite of execution sharding solutions on the market. Unlike what LayerZero (LZ) does for assets, KRNL’s Superconnector makes boundless functionality available anywhere and by anyone, but with a more decentralized and secure approach. This ensures that application builders can access and utilize functions across different chains with minimal overhead, enhancing both performance and security.

Taking execution sharding omni-chain

KRNL’s long-term vision, Tahir shares, is to create a holistic ecosystem that enables developers to build truly decentralized applications without the inefficiencies and centralization issues that come with co-processors and other existing solutions. Thus, by enabling the execution of functions across multiple chains, KRNL is paving the way for more efficient and secure dApp development.

“We’re able to utilize the whole plethora of all those environments natively as they are, without having to do the heavy lifting to create something that is unique and specific as a co-processor,” Tahir notes.

KRNL’s Superconnector, kOS, is a reimagining of how execution sharding should be implemented. By enabling frictionless access to functions natively on-chain, KRNL breaks down all barriers to omni-chain dApp building. Make note, this is a game-changer for worldwide, democratized, and streamlined dApp developments. Even more importantly for developers, they will be able to register and monetize the features they create on KRNL’s upcoming marketplace.

Tahir & KRNL’s Future Vision

Tahir aims to expand KRNL technology from Ethereum to other EVM and non-EVM chains, creating a holistic ecosystem. “We see developers and builders being able to build feature-rich real-world applications with very little work, almost no code, and low-code solutions,” Tahir states.

This approach will allow developers to build more robust applications more quickly and efficiently.

“You’re now able to say, ‘I want to do XYZ on chain and off chain in the Web2 world,’ because that’s what really brings real-world applications to life,” Tahir adds.

KRNL’s innovative approach to execution sharding through the Superconnector will redefine how we think about decentralized applications. The future of execution sharding lies in KRNL’s natively on-chain approach, which is set to revolutionize the Web3 landscape, making real-world applications more accessible and robust.

Mentioned in this article

Everyone has rights. The right to privacy. The right to vote. The right to own a cat. When it comes to gaming, there are also rights in place that dictate the freedoms players have within the virtual worlds they roam for hours. These include the right to explore anywhere and, in some instances, the right to own the assets they create. But what exactly does ownership mean in the context of gaming, and why’s it such a big deal to a growing subset of players?

From Zero to Full Ownership

If you’d asked a video gamer in the late 90s if they’d like to own their in-game assets they’d have laughed at you. They already own the console and the cartridge: what else could they wish to own – the rights to print t-shirts displaying their high score? Back then, hardware was owned by the players but all game assets were owned by the publishers. The idea that original content created by players could form a multi-billion dollar economy would have seemed as far-fetched as the notion that the entire world would one day be on the internet.

Fast forward a quarter century and here we are: not just are we all online, but gaming is larger than Hollywood and, thanks to a 21st century invention called blockchain, it’s possible to own the assets that are created in-game. And not just to own them but to trade them, transfer them, and in some cases control the rights to their IP, allowing for the creation of cartoons, comics, and other content originally conceived deep within a video game world. It is, as the saying goes, quite a time to be alive.

Web3 Ownership in Action

To non-web3 gamers which, for the foreseeable future constitutes the majority of all players, the idea of wanting to own your character or armor might seem strange. Who cares whose ball it is so long as you can play? But the idea of “true” ownership, as popularized by the web3 model, is about much more than bragging rights or catering to the whims of “not your keys, not your characters” blockchain zealots. It’s ultimately about evolving the capabilities of what can be done with gaming, particularly when it comes to user-generated content.

Not so long ago, character customization options were limited, leaving little scope for creating anything unique or remotely valuable to other players. But as gaming has evolved, the parameters of what can be created within sprawling virtual worlds has expanded dramatically, creating a huge secondary market for items that can advance game progress, level up characters, equip them with powerful weapons, and add exclusive accessories. Web3 games developers have taken this seemingly marginal use case and created an entire industry around it. And a sizable tranche of gamers have bought into this model with aplomb, demonstrating that players rights is an idea whose time has come.

As web3 studio Mythical Games reasons, “Players who have the freedom to trade their game items as they wish are more engaged, have more fun, and value their assets more.” That, in essence, is the elevator pitch for granting players the right to own their content. Mythical is adamant that economies centered on digital ownership will grant players a greater stake in the games they love and create powerful second-order effects such as the ability to govern game development or even to develop spin-off content of their own.

Mythical Games, as with most other web3 studios, automatically tokenizes in-game items as NFTs, enabling seamless ownership and the ability to freely lend, sell, or transfer them to other players. Web3 gaming platform The Sandbox takes a similar approach, empowering users to create, own, and monetize their gaming experiences. Players can buy, develop, and monetize virtual real estate and use their NFTs across different experiences within The Sandbox ecosystem. Like Mythical Games, The Sandbox lets players experience genuine ownership, enabling them to reap the rewards for their creativity and time spent in-game.

The Case for Letting Players Own It All

The benefits to players of being able to own the weapons, skins, or virtual real estate they’ve spent hundreds of hours refining are evident. What’s less commonly examined is the benefits to developers of doing so. Introducing a decentralized, player-driven model allows developers to be far bolder and experimental than they could otherwise be were they operating a traditional video game.

From setting up a virtual casino on your patch of metaverse land to having your character fight an opponent in an entirely different game, there’s a lot that can be done once studios learn to let go and allow communities to steer the ship. This doesn’t mean relinquishing control altogether, incidentally: studios still retain the right to build whatever they like and to launch new content, sequels, prequels, and tie-ins. But through furnishing an army of players with the rights to own their content and tell the world about it, they gain an army of ambassadors who will onboard new players and drive greater revenue to studios.

Just as the success of NFT collections such as Bored Apes would have been impossible without owners supplying the energy, amplification, and trading volume, the same is proving true of web3 games. It’s not the only case for playing them – we haven’t even touched upon unique features such as token rewards or universal access or censorship-resistance – but it’s one of the most compelling.

As web3 technology matures and permeates everything, player ownership will become a standard feature in gaming. This inevitable embrace of blockchain will give players, developers, and creators something to gain, ushering in a more equitable and immersive gaming future with players’ rights at their core.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital art, SurR.Ai has rapidly emerged as a beacon of innovation. Celebrating its second year, the platform has launched 16 groundbreaking physical and on-chain digital art collections. This significant milestone ushers in a new era marked by seamless integration of blockchain security, artificial intelligence amplification, and diverse physical collectible offerings within the art world.

This celebratory occasion is highlighted by the unveiling of 16 exclusive and limited edition collections of physical and digital artworks. Each collection is distinct in its thematic focus and creative execution, yet all harmoniously demonstrate SurR.Ai’s innovative approach. This method combines human creativity with the cutting-edge capabilities of artificial intelligence, resulting in a vibrant and diverse array of physical and digital collectibles.

These collections not only underscore SurR.Ai’s role as a pioneer in the digital art space and as a proponent of the phygital concept but also showcase the potential for AI to revolutionize traditional artistic processes. They offer a glimpse into the future of art in the 21st century and beyond.

1. FameFocus Collection: Celebrating Icons

“FameFocus” stands out for its stained-glass inspired portraits of celebrities and iconic figures, blending art with celebrity culture in a vibrant tribute that spans across ages and realms.

2. Variety Series: A Community of Collectors

The “Variety Series” is a testament to SurR.Ai’s commitment to fostering a community around NFTs, offering an eclectic mix of crypto collectibles that push the boundaries of digital creativity.

3. Above Reality: Abstract Visions

“Above Reality” invites audiences to interpret avant-garde abstract art, challenging perceptions and encouraging a deeper engagement with the surreal aspects of digital creativity.

4. Instagram Collection: Digital Art for the Modern Era

SurR.Ai’s “Instagram Collection” leverages social media to present contemporary digital art secured by blockchain technology, creating an interactive platform for art enthusiasts to explore and engage with cutting-edge “phygital” creations by SurR.Ai.

5. Cosmism Collection: Exploring the Cosmos

With “Cosmism,” viewers are drawn into a profound exploration of cosmic wonders, reflecting on the vastness of time and space through digital art that evokes a sense of universal interconnectedness.

6. UltraHD Phygital Art: Merging Worlds

The “UltraHD Phygital Art” collection redefines contemporary art by blending it with digital innovation, meticulously designed for premium large-format printing and showcasing the seamless integration of digital and physical realms.

7. Lizzies Collection: A Dive into the Extraordinary

Inspired by speculative writings, “Lizzies” explores the mysterious intersection of human and reptilian, terrestrial and extraterrestrial, through unique interpretations that challenge the ordinary.

8. Rayonism Collection: A Digital Renaissance

SurR.Ai pays homage to the early 20th-century art movement, Rayonism, bringing its innovative and abstract style to the digital age with a collection that reinvigorates historical art movements.

9. SurReal Fashion Collection: The Future of Fashion

Merging fashion with technology, this collection showcases digital fashion’s potential for sustainability, inclusivity, and customization, pointing towards future trends in fashion design and consumption.

10. SurRLife: Kids & Pets: Whimsical Companions

Featuring a variety of playful and fantastical creatures, “SurRLife: Kids & Pets” is perfect for collectors and families, offering delightful digital companions that stand out in creativity and design.

11. Timeless Halloween Collection: Celebrating Spookiness Year-Round

With surreal, spooky themes, “Timeless Halloween” offers collectibles that capture the essence of Halloween anytime, blending fun and investment in timeless, themed NFTs.

12. LVA Collection: A Fusion of AI and Creativity

“LVA” showcases the limitless possibilities of blending artificial intelligence with human creativity, featuring mesmerizing animated videos that pay tribute to historical art styles with a modern twist.

13. Portraiture Collection: Capturing Individuality

“Portraiture” combines traditional artistry with digital technology in a stained-glass inspired technique, offering captivating portraits that celebrate the uniqueness of individuals.

14. Rarible Collection: A Curated Digital Experience

On Rarible, SurR.Ai presents a carefully curated collection of SurReal NFTs, featuring animated videos and still images that embody the pinnacle of digital artistry and creativity.

15. Mintable Collection: Dreamlike Artistry

Available on Mintable, this collection dives into surreal visions, showcasing a blend of art and technology in pieces that ensure authenticity and embrace the revolutionary side of digital art.

16. Phygital Art Collection on HUG [New!]

Discover and shop a variety of digital and physical creations from SurR.Ai.

As SurR.Ai marks its 2nd year of trailblazing in the convergence of visual arts and AI, it stands as a testament to the transformative power of technology in expanding the boundaries of art. Each of these 16 collections not only showcases SurR.Ai’s innovative spirit but also paves the way for future explorations in the physical and digital art realms. With over 1,600 phygital collectibles and invaluable educational resources, SurR.Ai’s venture is akin to a virtual art fair, promising a monumental impact on the art world for decades to come.

If a price isn’t displayed, we’re open to hearing your offers.

SurR.Ai is a leader in ‘Phygital Art’, offering digital art as NFTs (leveraging blockchain technology) as well as physical formats such as fine art and video prints. Customers can buy NFTs from SurR.Ai and order corresponding physical versions, including fine art prints from VastPhotos.com or WhiteWall.com, and loop video prints from InfiniteObjects.com. SurR.Ai typically provides NFTs in medium resolution, but also offers the option to upgrade to Ultra High Resolution for high-definition quality prints, available through an artwork commission.

Read also: The Best Place to Find Rare and Unique Crypto Collectibles: Discover the World of NFTs with SurR.Ai’s Innovative News Aggregation.

SurR.Ai is currently accepting commissions. Interested in a custom piece? Send us a request to begin discussing your ideas today.

Stay informed on the intersection of art, technology, & commerce in the rapidly evolving world of digital collectibles.

Digital crypto collectibles (NFTs) are reshaping the art world, offering a new platform for artists and a novel investment opportunity for collectors. Their significance extends beyond the digital realm, as they can be converted into tangible forms like high-resolution prints. This fusion of digital and physical art offers both a novel way for art enthusiasts to display their collections and a fresh investment avenue. The market for NFTs is rapidly growing, with their tangible versions adding an extra layer of value and investment potential.  As the market for these digital assets continues to grow, so too does the potential for investment and enjoyment of art in its many forms.

Now with the MoonPay checkout integration, OpenSea users can easily purchase an NFT using a debit or credit card, sidestepping the need to first acquire cryptocurrency.

MoonPay now supports the purchase of Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon NFTs with a debit or credit card. With this new feature, collectors can pay directly with major payment methods like MasterCard, Visa, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. This is a big step towards the goal of making NFTs accessible to everyone.

Get some SurR for Your NFT Collection!

A cool gift for every season & any occasion.

Just for fun or as an investment.

SurR.Ai, a cutting-edge startup that provides a convenient platform for buying a diverse range of surreal Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). It offers a one-stop-shop solution for acquiring animated videos and still images as digital collectibles, available on popular marketplaces like OpenSea, Rarible, and Mintable

Behind every NFT is a Story.
Read them on NFTsurRPost.com and
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You can discover our unique content and access our blog directly at NFTSurRPost.com. Additionally, stay updated by following us on Twitter & Instagram.

NFTSurRPost.com publication serves as a platform for sharing backstories, news, and ideas that have inspired the creation of our digital collectibles. We want to give our readers a better understanding of the art and creativity that goes into each collectible, including the concepts and references that are incorporated into each one.

Stay ahead of the curve & embrace the dynamic evolution of business, technology, visual arts, and digital collectibles. Visit our NFT collections on OpenSea, Rarible & Mintable and stay tuned for new drops, sets, series, collections and special editions!