TL;DR
On November 13th 2023 we have released the first version of the Seedless account creation functionality. It lets a user create a blockchain wallet out of their Google account and then seamlessly create a Safe.
For now this works on Gnosis chain only but more chains are to be added soon, alongside with many other fancy features that are especially handy for those who are not familiar with web3 technology - either migrating for centralized exchanges or just starting their journey in the crypto world.
What's under the hood?
To create blockchain accounts out of Google accounts we are using the Web3Auth solution. The private key of the account is divided into 2 parts and is never stored as a whole. The first one is stored on Web3Auth servers, the second one is stored in Torus network.
In you are technical enough, feel free to read more about the SDK we used and the way Web3Auth handles the private key storage.
Creating an account
Navigate to app.safe.global and find yourself on the welcome page of Safe. By default you are going to land on the Ethereum Mainnet page. To get access to Seedless account creation, please switch to Gnosis chain using the switch on the top right.
After switching to Gnosis you'll see that the Google log in has become available. Click on the respective button to proceed.
You will have to choose your Google account and log into it, then, after a few seconds, your brand new blockchain account will be seamlessly set up under the hood and all you need to do to proceed is to click on the same button which will now display your name, avatar and the email address sourced from Google.
Creating a Safe
After you click on "Continue as..." button you are going to land on the Safe creation page. The app will randomly assign a name and a 1 out of 1 threshold meaning that your Google-sourced account is the sole owner of this Safe.
You can change the threshold clicking "Back" but before doing that make sure you understand the concept of threshold and multi-signature wallets. The easiest way to proceed is not leave the 1 out of 1 threshold.
Click "Next" to kick start the creation of the Safe.
As the Safe creation entails a blockchain transaction, it might take some time (up to several minutes but normally around 1 minute) to execute and get indexed. The gas fees for this are sponsored by Safe so you won't have to spend anything.
When the Safe is created, click on the green button to proceed!
Adding funds
If you are an existing crypto user that wants to test how Seedless onboarding works, just copy the Safe address and paste it in your wallet to add funds, just make sure the source wallet is in Gnosis chain or bridge funds there.
If you are a user that is new to web3, we suggest you use the Ramp application to buy some crypto. You can find Ramp in the list of our Apps.
Accept the disclaimer and proceed further. The destination currency will be set up automatically - it's going to be xDAI on Gnosis chain. Feel free to adjust the amount you want to add and follow the steps of the Ramp app. The purchased xDAI will shortly arrive to your Safe.
Setting up a password
You might want to add an extra security layer to your Safe setting up a password. This password will encrypt one of your private key shares.
Please note that there is no way to recover the password if you forget it. Make sure you write it down or use a password manager app.
To add a password please proceed to Settings > Security&Login and set the password.
Drawing your attention once again: there will be no password recovery. We won't be able to send you any links to reset via email. If the password is lost there will be no access to the Safe.
In later versions we will add more MFA tools like Authenticator app and SMS.
Logging into an existing Safe
In case you have disconnected your wallet, switched to a different browser or because of any other reason landed on the welcome page already having a Safe deployed, to access it you have to click on the list of existing Safes on the left.
Clicking on "Continue as..." will lead you to creating another Safe.
Choose your Safe and click on it to start using.
Exporting the private key
You might want to use your blockchain signer account in another wallet interface such as Metamask. In Safe we believe that this is an integral right of all users and a critical component of a non-custodial architecture. To enable that we have adde the functionality to export your private key.
Make sure you understand what is a private key and exporting it is something you really need. If you expose your private key you might lose all your funds. The safest way to go is to never export the key.
To export your private key, please proceed to Settings > Security&Login. Exporting will be enabled if only you set a password beforehand.
