Canton wallets work differently from Web3 wallets like MetaMask. This page explains the key differences and what they mean for users and developers.
Fundamental Differences Aspect Web3 Wallets Canton Wallets Data visibility Balances public Balances private Transaction privacy All transactions public Only you see your transactions Network model Connect to any RPC Connect to the validator with your party Identity Pseudonymous address Party identifier Transfer model Single-step send Single-step or multi-step (pre-approvals, allocations)
Privacy Model Web3: Public by Default On Ethereum, your wallet:
Has a public address anyone can see
Shows balance to anyone who queries
All transactions visible on block explorers
Transaction patterns analyzable
Anyone can query: 0x123...abc has 45.67 ETH Anyone can see: 0x123...abc sent 5 ETH to 0x456...def
Canton: Private by Default On Canton, your wallet:
Has a party identifier visible only to you
Balance visible only to you (and entitled parties)
Transactions visible only to participants
No public transaction history
Only you can see: Your party has 100 CC Only participants see: You transferred 20 CC to another party
Transfer Capabilities Canton wallets support transfer patterns not possible in traditional wallets.
Multi-Step Transfers Traditional transfer: Send X now.
Canton supports complex workflows:
Pattern Description Pre-approvals Authorize future transfers up to a limit Allocations Reserve tokens for specific purposes DvP Atomic delivery-vs-payment exchanges Conditional Transfers triggered by conditions
Pre-Approvals Allow another party to withdraw up to a certain amount:
Use cases:
Subscription payments
Recurring transfers
Automated application flows
Allocations Reserve tokens for a specific purpose:
Use cases:
Trade settlement
Escrow arrangements
Multi-step workflows
Delivery vs. Payment (DvP) Atomic exchange of different assets:
Why this matters:
No settlement risk
No trust required between parties
Complex exchanges in single transaction
Connection Model Web3: Any RPC Web3 wallets connect to any compatible RPC endpoint:
Infura, Alchemy, or self-hosted
Can switch providers freely
Any node can answer queries
Canton: Your Validator Canton wallets connect to a specific validator:
The validator hosting your party
Can’t freely switch (party is hosted somewhere specific)
Only your validator has your data
Identity Model Web3: Address-Based
Address derived from public key
Anyone can generate addresses
Pseudonymous (address is identity)
Canton: Party-Based
Party identifier tied to validator hosting
Party creation involves validator
Not pseudonymous in the same way
For local parties (where the validator holds the keys), the validator signs on behalf of the party. For external parties, keys are held externally and require explicit signing.
Web3 Address Canton Party 0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc454e4438f44ealice::1220f2fe29866fd6a0009ecc8a64ccdc09f1958bd0f801166baaee469d1251b2eb72
Explorer Differences Web3: Global Explorer Block explorers show all network activity:
Any transaction
Any address balance
Any contract state
Canton: Personal Explorer Canton explorers show your activity:
Your transactions only
Your balances
Your contracts
There’s no equivalent of Etherscan showing all network transactions. This is by design—privacy is fundamental.
Implications for Users If you’re used to… On Canton… Checking any address balance You can only check your own Viewing all transactions You see only your transactions Connecting to any RPC You connect to your validator Simple send transactions You have more transfer options
Implications for Developers If you’re building… Consider… Wallet integration Use Wallet SDK for Canton patterns Transaction display Show only user’s transactions Balance queries Query user’s party only Multi-step workflows Leverage pre-approvals and allocations
Next Steps
Wallet for Developers Integrate wallet functionality into your app.
Token Standard Understand the Canton Token Standard.
