Year of Success: Novasama 2023 Roundup
Reflecting on our Journey in 2023
2023 has been an amazing year for Novasama Technologies and the overall Polkadot ecosystem! Let’s take a look back at what we have achieved in the past 12 months!
As we reflect on this year’s journey, we are proud to showcase the remarkable progress and milestones that we have achieved. From substantial enhancements to our flagship products, Nova Wallet and Nova Spektr, to forging key partnerships and expanding our product line up, this year has been pivotal in our mission to innovate and lead in the web3 space.
Our commitment to delivering user-focused solutions has been reinforced by the active engagement and feedback from the Polkadot community and beyond.
Join us as we dive into the highlights of 2023, showcasing our achievements by numbers, product updates, grant accomplishments, our participation in events, and some exciting plans that we have in store going forward into 2024!
Let the Data Speak!
Reflecting on 2023, when we look at the numbers it is evident that our efforts significantly enhancing Nova wallet and Nova Spektr to meet the ever evolving needs of the Polkadot community has paid off!
Nova Wallet remains the leading mobile wallet in the Polkadot ecosystem and Nova Spektr continues to be built out to meet the demands of enterprises, power users and individuals alike! Nova Spektr was even referenced a few times in Gavin Wood’s 2023 roundup for its technological achievements! We have been able to partner with more than 150 projects this year, all the way from network integrations, to custom features, to partnerships for future development!
All of this is possible thanks to the support from our over 80,000 active users, who have continued to support us over 2023 — thanks to your support we have been able to receive 7 grants this year, allowing us to write almost 1 million lines of code this year — that’s 2.4 NASA Space Shuttles worth of code!
All of these new features have been flawlessly delivered, with 0 delays and 0 critical failures of our products, ensuring that users can always access their assets!
One way of visualising the success of Nova Wallet as part of the broader Polkadot landscape can be clearly seen in our recent deep dive article that goes through the impact that our StakeDOT Campaign & Super Simple Staking had — we estimate over $140M worth of tokens have been staked through the Nova Wallet in 2023 based on the data from the article!
Nova Wallet 2023 Updates
Nova Wallet continues to be the leading mobile application in the Polkadot ecosystem, with over 75,000+ active users around the world!
We remain strong believers that listening to feedback from the community in order to make the best possible application for all of their needs is the key to growing not just the adoption of Nova Wallet, but the Polkadot ecosystem as a whole.
Desktop Mode in dApp Browser and Pin / Biometric Authorisation — with Nova Wallet v5.1.0 we added a bunch of community requested features — we made changes to the dApp browser so that users can use any dApp, even if the dApp does not support mobile. We also added a security improvement by adding the option for users to require Pin Code / Biometric Authorisation prior to signing a transaction.
Governance Updates — Last year we added support for Polkadot and Kusama OpenGov, and this year we added governance support for 16 additional networks including HydraDX, Moonbeam, BiFrost, Acala, Phala and Centrifuge!
Our v5.3.0 update made Nova Wallet the first app in the Polkadot ecosystem to implement Agile Delegation support with our Delegate Registry — drastically improving the UX for those seeking delegations to amplify their voting power in OpenGov
XCM v2 & v3 Support — With our v5.4.0 update we added support for XCM v2 & v3 — supporting these updates was vital as XCM v3 brings numerous improvements to the Polkadot ecosystem including the laying the groundwork for a huge increase in secure message throughput
Ethereum Mainnet Support — In April with our v6.0.0 update we added another community requested feature — support for Ethererum Mainnet and ERC-20 tokens!
WalletConnect v2 Support — Nova Wallet v6.2 brought with it WalletConnect v2 integration! WalletConnect is an open communications protocol for web3 which allows you to connect your Nova Wallet to a wide range of DApps on your desktop, including Nova Spektr!
Multitasking Dashboard — In June we released Nova Wallet v6.5 which brought our multitasking dashboard to the world — allowing Nova Wallet users to track and manage all of their staking positions in the Polkadot ecosystem from a single screen!
Super Simple Staking — In September we shipped Nova Wallet v7.0 which ushered in a new paradigm for staking! Nova Wallet now makes staking easier than ever before and always ensures that users get the maximum staking rewards in one of the most secure wallets in the Polkadot ecosystem. Simply choose the token that you want to stake, enter the amount of tokens, and you’re done!
Community Requested Features — It is only because of the amazing feedback and suggestions from the community that Nova Wallet is able to be the absolute best mobile application for the Polkadot ecosystem! We review all of your feedback and try our best to implement all of your requests!
Features Coming Soon — As part of our 5th treasury proposal we will bring a whole host of new features to Nova Wallet including; Cloud Backups; Push Notifications; Proxies; Deeplinks; OpenGov Improvements; and Network Management!
Nova Spektr
Nova Spektr is your gateway to the Polkadot ecosystem, designed to meet the requirements of enterprises, power users, and individuals alike.
Multichain Wallet — Nova Spektr gives you a true multichain experience on Polkadot, supporting 80+ networks and hundreds of tokens in a single interface.
Light Clients — Unleash an unstoppable, fast and trustless working environment with Nova Spektr by utilising locally hosted blockchain nodes to manage your digital assets in the Polkadot ecosystem.
Multisig Operations — Experience superior security with truly multi-chain Multisig wallets. From a single interface you can initiate, sign, and track multisig operations on every chain.
Polkadot Vault — Safeguard your assets by integrating your Polkadot Vault hardware wallet with Nova Spektr. Polkadot Vault is an airgapped cold storage wallet.
Connect with Nova Wallet & WalletConnect v2 — Connect with your Nova Wallet or any other WalletConnect account to experience the power of Nova Spektr.
Multishard Staking — Experience the first-ever implementation of Multishard features, enhancing the privacy of your Staking operations and more.
Dynamic Derivations — Nova Spektr lets you quickly synchronise all of your derived accounts with your Polkadot Vault
Data Verification — Benefit from Polkadot and Kusama Light Clients to cryptographically verify data from public blockchain nodes.
We Promise. We Deliver.
We remain fully focused on committing all of our efforts into providing the best possible experience for users throughout the Polkadot ecosystem. In order to continue to create and develop these user-orientated products, we collect feedback from the entire Polkadot community! We review all of your suggestions and fantastic feedback as the basis of our treasury proposals.
Nova Wallet Treasury Proposals
Polkadot / Kusama Treasury Grant #3 — Awarded in December 2022, this treasury proposal included the implementation of the first ever agile delegation system for Polkadot OpenGov which has since become widely adopted and understood by users; improvements to the user experience when staking tokens; and the implementation of community requested features. The grant also includes reimbursement for work done to implement Governance v1 for not only relay chains, but also parachains in the ecosystem.
Polkadot / Kusama Treasury Grant #4 — Awarded in July 2023, this treasury proposal covered development of our Multistaking Dashboard & Super Simple staking features which have been very well received by the community. This proposal also covered the implementation of WalletConnect v2, updates to the Assets Tab UI, and a bunch of community requested features.
Polkadot / Kusama Treasury Grant #5 — Awarded in December 2023, this treasury proposal included the implementation of Cloud Backups; Push Notifications; Proxies; Deeplinks; OpenGov Improvements; and Network Management.
KILT Treasury Grant #1 — Awarded at the very end of December 2022, this treasury proposal integrated KILT W3Ns into Nova Wallet so that users can send assets using a recipients W3N
Joystream Treasury Grant #1 — Awarded in November 2023, this treasury proposal includes the full integration of the Joystream network into Nova Wallet; Network Support; JOY Token Management; Staking Rewards History; Ecosystem DApp Integration; and Hardware Wallet Support.
Nova Spektr Treasury Grants
Polkadot Grant #3 — Awarded in September 2023, this treasury proposal covers the integration of Dynamic Derivations; WalletConnect v2 Integration; Cross-Chain Transfers; Fiat Values Integration; Proxy Accounts and Transactions; Updates to Wallet Details; Distribution of Nova Spektr to the App and Microsoft Stores; Staking Improvements and Ethereum Address Support
Meet Novasama Technologies!
As we look back at 2023, we are filled with gratitude for the huge amount of opportunities to engage, learn, and grow alongside a community that is as passionate and dynamic as we are!
We have had an amazing time being able to go all across the world meeting everyone, sharing ideas, and importantly spreading the word of Polkadot and Novasama!
In case you missed any of our presentations and panels, you can find them all below!
- PolkaDefiance — Making Order Out of Chaos — How Nova Wallet Improves the Polkadot OpenGov Experience
- Polkadot Decoded — Nova Wallet: The Ultimate Polkadot mobile app for everything (and more)
- We were also happy to be invited to give an interview with Dotcast where we spoke about all things Novasama Technologies!
- ParisDotComm — Nova Wallet & Nova Spektr: Elevating UX for Mass Adoption
- sub0 — Striking the Balance: Building User-Centric Decentralised Applications — Insights from Novasama Technologies
- sub0 — Building Multi-Parachain Applications & Tools: Tips & Tricks from Interoperability Innovators alongside other builders in the Polkadot ecosystem
- We had the pleasure of being part of The Kusamarian’s Space Monkeys podcast where we discussed Nova Wallet, Nova Spektr and the history behind Novasama Technologies!
Partnerships Highlights & Company Updates
ChainSafe Partnership
As we announced in December, we entered a strategic partnership with ChainSafe Systems Inc. which will make significant strides towards enriching the Polkadot ecosystem. This collaboration aligns our mutual dedication to building products for the decentralized, democratic and unstoppable internet, free from the shackles of centralization, where autonomy, freedom and sovereignty are not just ideals, but realities.
The partnership with ChainSafe allows us to explore synergies between our two companies, such as the joint development of decentralised applications and amplifies our commitment to open-source and decentralised principles when developing user focused web3 products.
Transition of Polkadot Vault to Novasama Technologies
A significant milestone in 2023 was the work towards the transition of Polkadot Vault, an air-gapped cold storage wallet, to Novasama Technologies. This strategic move is part of Parity Technologies’ ongoing decentralisation efforts and underscores their commitment to the growth and diversification of the Polkadot ecosystem.
The transition of Polkadot Vault to Novasama Technologies will bring a renewed focus on the technical maintenance, user support, and marketing efforts — ensuring that the product continues to meet the needs of the Polkadot ecosystem community effectively and efficiently.
Partnerships with Fiat On-ramp Providers
In 2023 we partnered with Mercuryo and Banxa — these collaborations have significantly increased the geographical reach of Nova Wallet’s on-ramp services, improving the experience for those just getting started in the Polkadot ecosystem or those wanting to top up their balance in more regions.
We received feedback from people in many regions at the events we attended in 2023, and their region not being supported by on-ramp providers was a key issue for them, so we have made sure to expand the amount of supported regions through these partnerships.
Relocation of Novasama Technologies to Germany
Throughout 2023 we have committed to providing stability to the Novasama Technologies team — ensuring that the geopolitical uncertainties that we spoke about in the 2022 roundup are mitigated as much as possible.
We have opened the Novasama Technologies GmbH company in Germany and this has allowed us to relocate a large portion of our team, providing them with stable residence that will allow us to continue to build the best quality applications for all of you!
At the end of 2022 the Novasama Technologies team consisted of 16 people, and now, at the end of 2023, we have managed to expand our team to 23 people!
Our Goals for 2024
As we step into 2024, our focus is on the continued development and enhancement of Nova Wallet and Nova Spektr through treasury funding, ensuring that they remain at the forefront as the premier applications within the Polkadot ecosystem.
Additionally we are excited to announce our plans for expanding our product portfolio, which will enrich the Polkadot ecosystem even further.
Oh, and for those wanting a sneak peak at what it is that we have in store for you, here are few hints on what we are working on:
- A way to send tokens to anyone
- A way to spend tokens anywhere
- Decide fate with a swipe
Bright Future Ahead!
Our confidence in the Polkadot ecosystem has never been stronger and we are excited to continue building the best possible applications for all of you! We have so many new and exciting products and features planned for 2024 — so make sure you stay tuned for updates!
The entire team at Novasama Technologies extends our gratitude to everyone throughout the entire Polkadot ecosystem for your continued support and cooperation!
We wish you all a fantastic festive holiday season, and we hope that you stay safe, healthy and have an amazing New Year!
