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 CC balances public via scan; private contract data visible only to participants Transaction privacy All transactions public CC transactions public via scan; private contract activity visible only to participants 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: Contract Privacy by Default Canton’s privacy model depends on the contract type:
CC balances and transaction history are publicly visible via the network’s scan service
Private application contract data is visible to entitled parties
There is no global view of all contracts
Anyone can query via scan: Your party's CC balance and transfer history Only entitled parties see: Your private application contract data
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 Recipient pre-approves accepting transfers from any sender Allocations Reserve tokens for specific purposes DvP Atomic delivery-vs-payment exchanges Conditional Transfers triggered by conditions
Pre-Approvals Allow a recipient to receive tokens from any sender without accepting each incoming transfer:
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 one or more validators:
The validator(s) hosting your party
Can’t freely switch (party is hosted somewhere specific)
Only your validator(s) have 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: Scan Service for CC, Personal View for Private Contracts For CC, the network’s scan service works like a block explorer — anyone can query CC balances and transaction history by party. For private application contracts, you see only your own activity:
Your private contract transactions
Your private contract balances
Your contracts
Implications for Users If you’re used to… On Canton… Checking any address balance CC balances queryable via scan; private contract balances require entitlement Viewing all transactions CC history public via scan; private contract activity visible only to you Connecting to any RPC You connect to your validator(s) 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 via scan for CC; query user’s party for private contracts 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.
