Talisman - Mobile Wallet Proposal Discussion

Overview

“Wen Talisman mobile app???” - asked by countless Seekers through the ages.

“Now, perhaps?” - Talisman team

This proposal plans to seek funding for a Talisman Mobile Wallet. Our goal is to place the distinctive Talisman user experience into the hands of our current and future users – to transform their web3 journey with a seamless mobile app experience.

We present this for community discussion to gather your feedback and insights before we put forward a detailed Treasury proposal.

Extending the Talisman experience

At the time of this proposal, Talisman maintains two main products: a multi-chain browser extension wallet, and a web application that enables users to “Traverse the Paraverse” with ease. Both of Talisman’s current products are meant for use on the desktop. A Talisman mobile wallet enables users to also access their wallet on the go, for both iOS and Android users.

The mobile app will have a brand new interface design, but will leverage existing Talisman wallet infrastructure in order to streamline development time and effort.

Community support for Talisman mobile wallet

After years of user requests for a mobile app, we believe the time has come to turn this vision into reality. Here’s just a sample of the feedback we’ve gotten so far. We hope you feel the same!

• “Imagine having the power of a Talisman in your pocket, literally!”- @SunshineGinGirl
• "Any plans for launching Mobile wallet in near future” - UltimateWinner (Discord)
• “Definitely, [Talisman] it's the one i am missing” - @JBRuizAngel
• “Yes, and coordinate with the Polkadot App, the goal should be a Point of Sale system for conventional retail through Talisman that would be the perfection of all wallets and would bring Polkadot on the mark.” - @kuhnon_kash
• “Mobile wallet plz” - Nat (Discord)
• “Talisman is one of my main wallets, one of my Talisman cons is 'no mobile support' (can login via mobile browser but imo its not safe as desktop browser) I would probs use it more then desktop as it could have features like finger print, other security additions! please do!”- @Stickvestor
• “Of course you should. When it comes to browser extension wallet the community has options but on mobile not that much” - @cyphadoc
• “If you build it i will use it” - @0xDarkSpark
• “I only have a question!!!! When mobile app??” - Osiel (Discord)
• “Mobile and you will grow massively. Crypto needs mobile because if you ever want to feel like a wallet, it must be pocketable. And it brings competition to the area.” - @tmmcmasters
• “I really enjoy using the web app, would love to see it on mobile eventually.” - Lord Wndy (Discord)

Why a Talisman mobile wallet matters

Does the Polkadot ecosystem need another mobile wallet? We believe it does. Increased competition drives innovation, which ultimately benefits the entire Polkadot ecosystem. By entering the mobile wallet space now, Talisman can leverage the latest trends and deliver an experience that matches, or even exceeds, those found in other adjacent ecosystems. Besides this, other benefits include:

• Improved Talisman experience: New and existing Talisman users will be able to seamlessly access their wallets on the go. Delivering a mobile wallet helps Talisman stay competitive, as users won’t have to manage multiple wallet products.

• Broader user base: Many potential users prefer mobile solutions over desktop applications. In many regions, mobile devices are the primary means of internet access. Mobile wallets are typically also easier for beginners to onboard into. A mobile wallet will help Talisman capture these new audiences and introduce them to the Polkadot ecosystem.

• Boosting Polkadot adoption: As Talisman captures and retains these new wallet users, its impact benefits the Polkadot ecosystem directly. Features like Talisman 1-click stake locks liquidity in the ecosystem, while swap functionalities drive increased network activity and engagement.

• Enhanced user engagement: The Talisman mobile wallet will be able to offer push notifications and real-time alerts, keeping users more engaged with their assets, and improving wallet activity and retention. A mobile wallet also enables more opportunities to incentivize referrals and usage.

• Expanding revenue opportunities: Expanding the user base and driving increased wallet activity will directly contribute to revenue-generating activities like staking and swaps. This plays a crucial role in accelerating Talisman’s journey toward profitability.

Proposed Feature Set

We intend for the mobile app to be a handy extension for Talisman users (pun intended). While it will include all the essential features of a mobile wallet, we’re also exploring innovative capabilities that will set Talisman apart from other wallets across all web3 ecosystems. We aim to create something the Polkadot community can proudly recommend to their friends.

Here is what we currently have in mind, but we will be adjusting / expanding on this based on the community’s comments.

Baseline features

• 👛Portfolio management (Tokens + NFT)
• 🔗Wallet connect
• 🥩1-click stake
• ☄️Polkadot XCM
• 💎Cross-chain swap
• 💵Buy / sell crypto

Unique mobile features (TBC)

• 🪬Talisman Sync
• 🚢Polkadot onboarding
• 👁️Biometric authentication
• 🫧Account abstraction
• 🫶Social features & referral rewards
• 🔬AI recommendation / discovery
• 📈Trading features

Propsal Request Amount: 

The proposal request amount will be determined based on the effort needed to develop the final feature scope, based on the community feedback we receive.

About Talisman

We believe our mission in the Polkadot ecosystem is to design for the user, advocate for the user, and build for the user. This means staying ahead of the complex multi-chain functionality being built in Polkadot today and distilling it into an intuitive experience. The goal is to empower users to understand the tools at their disposal and complete tasks quickly and efficiently, all while leveraging the full potential of advanced features. Besides this, our goal is to facilitate liquidity to flow into Polkadot to the benefit of all in the ecosystem.

As of Jan 2025, Talisman has achieved the following traction:

• 140,000+ active installs as measured by the Chrome/Firefox app stores
• Users in 189 countries
• 7.3+ million DOT in Talisman nomination pools
• The two largest nomination pools in Polkadot DOT staking

We build in an open, community-driven way and we are committed to building for the community, including users, teams, institutions, infrastructure providers, and any other ecosystem stakeholder. For more on Talisman’s mission and approach, please see our latest talks:

Warp Lizard and Natti on Polkadot Spaces, Sep 2024

Nipsey at Polkadot Decoded 2024

Polkadot insider interview @ Thailand blockchain week

Nipsey at Sub0 Asia 2024

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to your comments.